


In This Devil I Trust

by Megane



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action, Angel/Demon Relationship, Angels, Body Horror, Comedy, Demons, M/M, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Mind Games, Negotiations, New experience, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychic Bond, Re-Education, Returning Home, Supernatural Elements, Telepathy, Tension, Unfamiliar Places, Worldbuilding, multiple limbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 05:59:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4865654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yamaguchi's just looking for a chance to relax. He's so used to being another others; he just needs some time to himself. When he goes looking for a place to rest, relaxation isn't the only thing he finds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "And So I Fell From Heaven into Temptation"

**Author's Note:**

> There are a lot of inspirations in this clusterfuck of a story. I hope that you guys enjoy it though. I'm excited about the progression.

Voices and laughter mingled together, filling the air with something akin to party murmur. It was strange to distinguish this soul from the other. Yamaguchi sometimes found that they were featureless beings, and other times, they were full coloured and well dressed. He chew the inside of his cheek as he navigated through the busy quarter. He needed to go somewhere and clear his mind for a few moments. The angel finally stepped out into the vineyard and brought his hands to his face. He let out a groan as he walked, slowly pulling his hands down. He glanced around and relaxed. The collection of voices were behind him now, and the vineyard was open, quiet, and just…… welcoming.

Yamaguchi opened his hands, fingers dragging along the hedge maze as he passed it. He smiled softly and let his hand fall back at his side again. The feathers of his coat tickled at his skin as the wind gently blew. He laughed to himself and tilted his head up slowly. Walking in his direction was another angel. After a moment, he realised it was Sugawara archangel smiled, tilting his head.

          “You're in a good mood,” they teased.

          Yamaguchi nodded his head, feeling his cheeks warm up. “Now that I'm away from the others.” He perked up quickly, feathery brown hair frizzing up in embarrassment. “Not that I want you to go away or—!”

          Sugawara waved a hand, dismissing his concerns. “It's fine. It's why I came here too.”

They both looked around to their surroundings, feeling at ease. Sugawara lowered their head down; their posture relaxed for a moment. They looked to Yamaguchi.

          “Well, I'll head on then. I'll give you your peace.”

          “Hn!” Yamaguchi faced the older angel and nodded his head. “Thank you, Suga. I'll see you around?”

Suga bowed their head once in acknowledgement and headed off towards the clamour of voices. Yamaguchi looked over his shoulder, watching them leave. He stared down the length of the vineyard. Different paths cleaved neat rows that continued on into the horizon. At the top of the sloping hill, there was a massive gazebo. For a moment, he pondered heading over towards it, but instead turned his attention to the hedge maze before going inside.

The hedges were at least an extra foot or so taller than he was. He parted his lips as he glanced up towards the baby blue sky, navigating each movement and turn with peripheral guidance alone.

There was something shining in his right eye, and he turned his head towards it, curious. The light was in the corner of two intersecting hedges. The orange rays shone like the setting sun, and he saw a quick shadow pass in front. Stepping closer, he noticed that he couldn't really see anything. The orange light was blinding on its own. On top of that, the split itself wasn't very big to begin with.

Yamaguchi knew, in the back of his mind, that he probably shouldn't mess with something like this. It was probably best for him to get Suga or someone else to check this out with him. The thought was confirmed as he came to stand in front of the split. The light grew in intensity, and the rift expanded. It widened and shifted downward, ripping down the hedges and into the ground. Yamaguchi had a chance to let out a shocked yelp as he fell through and the rift closed behind him.

 


	2. "Fight Tooth and Nail for Liberation"

Yamaguchi leaned his head back and saw that the sky was unmarred, perfect, but he also knew that he was free falling to the world below. He was terrified. He couldn't sense the chilly, refreshing presence of The Heights. He reached out a hand towards the unfamiliar sky. His eyes widened as the feathers began to fall away from his coat. He followed the trail and brought his arms back around himself. He wasn't sure where he was going to fall, but!

His brows knit together as he concentrated his power into his garment. The feathers twisted around his body and flowed upwards. He squeezed his arms and mentally prepared himself. He waited a few beats before opening his eyes and spinning around. He reached out his arms and hit the ground, shaking the rest of the feathers from his outfit. Yamaguchi sat there for a moment, letting the shock roll out of his body. He panted softly and brought himself up into a kneeling position. He dusted his hands off and moved to dust off his clothes.

His cloak started to disintegrate off his body, and he was surprised by the change of his garment. It was similar to what he wore in The Heights, but it was different enough to draw his attention. He ran his hands over the long tunic, admiring the fabric against his body. He stood slowly and looked around, nervously brushing his hands over his stomach. Yamaguchi wasn't sure where he wanted to go, where he could go. He landed in a mostly quiet area. There were trees dotting the leaf-scattered earth. They all looked the same, as if someone made one and then pasted the rest in sporadically. Yamaguchi slowly walked through the spread out forest, looking around as he went. He placed his hand against the bark of a tree. Looking up, he saw that its branches had intertwined with the one next to it. Where the trees met, their leaves were green and white.

A shadow passed over his head, and Yamaguchi pressed himself against the tree. He swallowed down a lump of fear. His entire pulsated with the emotion. He wanted to go home, wanted to go home right now, and the rampant fluttering of clothing was only making his anxiety worse.

Two bodies landed in front of him, one much shorter than the other. Before he had a chance to assess the situation, one of the figures had grabbed him. Yamaguchi felt a shoulder pressed against his stomach and suddenly he was off his feet. He felt arms wrap around his legs and lower back, framing his backside. As he was transported, the unnamed being shifted Yamaguchi around until he was draped over his… saviours's? Arms.

Yamaguchi was only a _bit_ embarrassed by the shocked yelp. When he looked up at who this other being was, he saw wide eyes staring back at him. There was a brief glance backwards, and the being stopped moving. Yamaguchi was set on his feet, and the angel muttered his thanks. He dusted off his tunic and turned to face— ah.

He faced the demon.

The demon's arms were cracked all the way up to his elbows. His knuckles of his left hand were solid black, and the spaces between each finger were a bit more exaggerated. He had a cloth wrapped around his right wrist, but what Yamaguchi found most interesting was the fact that the demon's clothing were floating ever so slightly. Layers of orange and black ranging from different levels of sheerness fell over his form. The demon stood, arms akimbo and wide eyes focused on the angel's face.

          Yamaguchi decided to speak. “Thank you… for saving me.”

          “How'd you get here?” came the quick response, tone unreadable.

          The angel flinched and laced his fingers together. “I'm not sure.”

          The smaller demon scowled, drumming his fingers on his hip. “This is bad.”

Before Yamaguchi could speak, he felt a gust of air slam down against his body and flare out. A voice echoed around them.

          “Nishinoya. Go back.”

And there was a second blast of air, stronger and quicker than the first. After a beat, someone else appeared in front of Yamaguchi. He swallowed down the want to say something and instead stared up at the tall, blond demon in front of him.

          “Matsukawa needs your help. Hurry back.”

          “On it!”

Nishinoya nodded his head. His body was gone and the afterimage of him faded away. Yamaguchi had to peek around the new demon to see it. When he looked back, he saw the blond was looking back at him with multiple critical eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters are short because I want to lay down some foundation first. But now that we've hit this point, let's try and make this dramatic. Here we go.


	3. "My Reflection Stares Unblinking"

Yamaguchi knew that he was ignorant to most things. He heard about Low Sky, knew it, was aware of it, but his views about it were very one dimensional. He knew all of that, but he never expected himself to do anything about it in this… or any lifetime. He just put it out of his mind and continued mingling and retrieving as he was destined to. So now that he was here with a four eyed blond demon, well. He wasn't quite sure what to do or how to feel. He took a few steps back as the demon turned to face him. They stared silently at each other, now with two feet of comfortable distance between them. Yamaguchi swallowed down the lump in his throat and nodded his head slightly.

          “You're a demon.”

          “ _Bzra_ ,” the blond stated, rolling two of his eyes. The bottom two were still focused on him. A sarcastic clap followed. “You've figured it out.”

          “I just want to get back home.”

          “Is that all?” The demon crossed his arms, fingers drumming against his biceps. “How'd you get here?”

          “I don't…” He started and then looked up to the sky a bit nervously. “I… fell.”

          “You fell from The Heights?” A scoff lifted up. “Alright.”

There was a loud yell and then an earthshaking thud. The demon looked back over his shoulder, four eyes closing all at once.

          “You fell at the wrong time.”

          “What's happening?” Yamaguchi asked, taking a step forward.

          “What's it matter? You're leaving.”

The cold tone left no room for an argument. The demon's eyes were hooded as he stared back at the angel. Yamaguchi took his step back and curled his fingers into tight fists.

          “Right…”

          “But first we'll need to wait here for the others.”

          Yamaguchi took a wild guess. “So I don't get attacked?”

          “Oh, you're smart.”

The sarcasm smarted, but Yamaguchi accepted it. He moved closer to the demon and decided to just stay quiet. He wasn't sure what else he could do. He looked around the forest again, knowing that there wasn't much he hadn't already seen. The shadows passed over his head again, and he looked up, seeing three beings flying overhead. Yamaguchi watched briefly in a daze.

The tall demon lowered himself down, thin cape fluttering against his back. Yamaguchi stared at the material. It was a thin white fabric that drape down the demon's back and against his arms, connected by a ring on both middle fingers. The rest of what he wore was simple, form fitting almost. The demon's garment had netted sides, allowing him to move freely. Yamaguchi assumed, from what he had seen, that they were fighters. His mind took the extra step and assumed there was some internal war going on. His need to go home increased. The demon across from him scoffed and shook his head, drawing a hand back to his knee. His left eyes glanced back towards the angel and then rolled. Yamaguchi's brows furrowed, confused by the display.

          “Did something happen?” he asked, moving to the other's side.

          “Not really,” the blond replied, coming to finally stand up again.

He dusted his hands off just as something crashed to their right side. Yamaguchi shied away, hands to his chest as he quick stepped to safety. It was almost as if it happened in slow motion. Two figures crashed down. One was slammed back first against the ground. The second had a trident in his hands, dug into the ground through the creature's right shoulder. The second figure Yamaguchi took to be a demon when he noticed the intense cracks along the flexing biceps. The demon had his head tilted down, and when he looked up, Yamaguchi could see one of his pale turquoise eyes. The demon turned his hands to the right, and the trident _clinked_ as its metal shifted. A third body landed at the pinned creature's head.

Yamaguchi knew him as Nishinoya but wasn't too sure on the validity of the name. For now, it was all he had. The short demon stretched out an ash grey hand and grabbed the pinned creature by the head. Yamaguchi covered his eyes and turned away. He waited, and there was no sound of cracking bone or ripping flesh. When he looked back, there was no bloodshed. Just a few black feathers holding the target in place. Nishinoya and his companion – Yamaguchi struggled to remember a name – stood off to the side. There was also a feather, long and especially dark looking, that stuck up from the creature's forehead.

The blond sighed heavily, eyes closing again when he took in the scene.

          “Is the soul locked in place?”

          “Not going anywhere!” Nishnoya replied with a chirp. The taller male to his left nodded. “We'll keep checking on it until she gets here.”

She? She who? Yamaguchi wanted to ask and learn their names and what the heck was going on here! He moved closer towards the pinned being, wanting to get a closer look, and blinked when Nishinoya stepped in his way. There the short demon stood, hands on his hips, feet planted flat against the floor. Just like before.

          “And _you_ need to get out of here!”

          “I already told him that.” The blond sighed. His voice always sounded bored, maybe even a tiny bit irritated.

          “Well, I'm saying it again!”

Nishinoya's eyes were so wide, so aware. When their eyes met, Yamaguchi felt a pain straight through his core. He closed his eyes at the sudden pain and saw Nishinoya's eyes in the darkness. Yamaguchi wrapped his arms around his middle and opened his eyes, staring at the demon in confusion. Nishinoya relaxed as though finding what he wanted. This time, his arms crossed along his chest, and he lifted his chin slightly. Yamaguchi was careful not to look him directly in the eyes again.

          “What's your circle's name?” the demon asked.

          “Er… Ya…” The angel looked between the three unfamiliar faces before settling on Nishinoya's. “Yamaguchi.”

          “Nishinoya,” the demon stated. “That's my circle. We like to introduce ourselves around here, if we can.” He looked back to the other two. “Matsukawa. Tsukishima.” He motioned to the demons with lazy flicks of his hand.

Yamaguchi focused on the blond and realised he had a name now. Tsukishima. He liked it. The blond scowled when he was introduced.

          “Don't just casually introduce me to people.”

          “Oh, c'mon. It's nice!” Nishinoya teased with a smile. He looked back to Yamaguchi and his smile had a bit more of an edge. “After all, when he gets back to The Heights, he can say who stuck up for him.” There was a bit of a pause, and Nishinoya lowered his hands, stepping backwards. “That counts for something, right?”

Yamaguchi knew that he wasn't expected to answer, but he felt the need to do so anyway. He wanted to defend himself, but he wasn't sure from what. Nishinoya's words meant something. Yamaguchi hated that he wasn't able to pick it all apart. Tsukishima looked back to the creature and then flicked his gaze to Nishinoya.

          “How do I get back to The Heights?” Yamaguchi asked, looking between the three.

          “I'm taking you to the stairwell,” Tsukishima replied, not looking over.

          “You're… helping me?”

          “You don't belong here.” This time, the demon looked. “So, I'm getting you home safe and sound.”

          “Hey…” Yamaguchi felt himself bristle at the teasing jab. “No need to be mean.”

          “I'm not mean, just honest. If you can't handle that, then you definitely shouldn't be here.”

Yamaguchi didn't care if he was right or wrong; he hated the condescending tone the demon had. He clenched his fingers into a fist and nodded. In his right periphery, he saw Nishinoya open out his arms.

          “Hey, hey now. No need for all this tension!” He turned his attention to Tsukishima, waving a hand a him. “Hey, come back soon and we can go to the lake!” He offered. Matsukawa slightly knelt at his side, fingers leaving a glowing trail against their quarry's arm.

          “What for?” Tsukishima grumbled as he turned away, missing the fake frown from the other demon. To Yamaguchi, he said, “Let's go.”

Yamaguchi said his quick goodbyes and followed with long, dramatic steps. He hated that he was stomping, but he was! He was a bit mad that he was stuck with such a cranky demon. He hadn't been here very long, and he felt completely unwelcome, especially from the mixed signals he got during the introductions. He stared at the back of the demon's head before coming to his side, falling in step. He noticed that Tsukishima turned his head slightly, acknowledging him.

Yamaguchi didn't bother to look up at him. He just kept his chin up and marched forward. When he returned to The Heights, he could fall apart from the anxiety and the unsteadiness in his heart. But right now, while he was here, he would act strong and wouldn't let this conveniently helpful demon psych him out.

 


	4. "Your Tongue is Sharper than the Knife You Carry"

          “Follow close. I'm not going to carry you.”

          “I— I wasn't expecting you to!”

          “You look clumsy; can you climb over this?”

          “Just keep going…!”

Yamaguchi had never felt this frustrated or flustered by anyone before – living, dead, or otherwise. This Tsukishima was a graceful demon; he moved deliberately and a permanent sense of nonchalance. The way he moved his head very slightly this way and that kept Yamaguchi feeling safe that the demon was aware of his surroundings. But why was he so verbally mean? Why was he just so brash? Yamaguchi could tell, from the way he blew off Nishinoya earlier, that he was like this with everyone. But _why_? He opened his mouth to ask. He could feel the words _Why are you so bitter?_ forming on the tip of his tongue, but he closed his mouth – trapped the tip of his tongue between his teeth.

 _'You can't just ask someone why they're bitter, Yamaguchi,'_ he mentally chastised himself, relaxing his jaw and tongue.

Oh, but he wanted to.

Yamaguchi knew that it would be useless to ask specifically where they were going. He had no idea where anything was and what the landmarks were called. It was hard enough keeping up with the demon's unique speech anyway. The superficial language bond wouldn't sustain him much longer if his state of confusion increased. Yamaguchi clicked his teeth together nervously.

          “So what was that thing?” He asked instead, needing to talk to dismiss his nervousness. “What were they fighting?”

          “One of the souls lost here in limbo. After a while, they wander and remember too much. They come back as a different vice and lash out.” Tsukishima brought up a hand, rubbing his thumb against his palm. “Unfortunately, a lot of them come back as an _all-eater_.”

All-eater. Yamaguchi shook his head, trying to right his mind again. He had never heard the term, so he wasn't sure how to translate it in his own mind. Beside him, Tsukishima hummed deep in his throat, almost thoughtfully.

          “All… eater?” Yamaguchi asked quietly, fearing that he would sound foolish.

          “Something like a cannibal, but they eat everything from head to soul.” The blond sneered, turning left down a beaten walkway. “They're nasty little shits when they get worse.”

          The angel shuddered. “I don't doubt it…”

He pressed his lips together and followed after Tsukishima. Now that they were on the beaten path, Yamaguchi could enjoy the trees on either side of him and all around. He moved quicker, coming equal with the demon this time. They were coming close to a wide river. There were stepping stones to bridge the gap. They didn't look especially harrowing or anything, but Yamaguchi was a bit… worried. They were spaced apart just enough that he knew he would have to hop to each one. Tsukishima, though blunt as a punch, had been right earlier. Yamaguchi was clumsy.

The demon made his way across first, easily crossing the eight or nine stones to the other side, but then he kept walking until he came to a new border of white-grey trees. He stopped when he was equal with one, peering out towards something. Yamaguchi decided that this was the perfect time to cross. He took the first and second ones easily. He curled his hands against the fabric of his pants, bunching up the excess material so he wouldn't fall. He knew what he was about.

Unfortunately, at about the sixth one – so close to the end – Yamaguchi's balance just couldn't hold out much longer. As the angel leapt, he landed awkwardly on his left foot. He tried to right his posture as quickly and easily as he could. Unfortunately, it was all for naught, and he fell into the river. The splash didn't seem alarming, so Tsukishima was slow to turn around to the source of the noise. He placed his left hand against a white-grey tree and looked over his shoulder. Yamaguchi could see him looking from underneath his wet locks of hair. He felt embarrassed, so completely embarrassed. If he could die, he was sure it would be from humiliation. He reached up and raked wet brown hair from his face, just in time to see the demon coming his way again.

          “You're really hopeless here, aren't you?” Tsukishima grumbled, extending out a hand.

Yamaguchi sat silently in his place for a few moments. The current wasn't incredibly strong, but he could feel the push of water against his skin. He stared at the offered hand and followed the prominent veins and visible cracks in Tsukishima's skin. They traveled all the way up to his forearm, lessening in visibility as they went. When he realised he had been staring for far too long, Yamaguchi pressed his lips together and met the demon's gaze (as best he could, anyway). He took Tsukishima's hand and was immediately pulled up.

          “T-thanks.” He looked back towards the river as he was pulled out of it. “The water's freezing!”

          “Give it a second,” Tsukishima mumbled, guiding the angel out of the water.

Tsukishima stepped backwards, drawing the angel onto dry land and letting go once Yamaguchi was properly on his own two feet. The angel let out a long sigh and bent down, pulling the slippers from his feet. He shook them out with a bit of a frown. He noticed that, as he was doing that, his body started warming up. His right side mostly and his lower body from the hips down were _freezing_ when he first fell in, but now it was as if it hadn't happened. Well, he was still wet, of course, but it didn't bother him as much. His clothes just laid heavily on his skin with only a slight bit of discomfort.

Still the changing temperature left him feeling even more curious about the way this world worked. After Yamaguchi slipped on his shoes again, they headed to the line up of unnaturally coloured trees. Yamaguchi had never seen them this colour before. The forests back home were, well, incredibly vibrant and lush. These looked ghostly – hauntingly beautiful.

Tsukishima turned. Yamaguchi looked up at the motion, staring into four eyes. He never really noticed until now how light Tsukishima's eyes were. The yellow hue looked incredibly pale and faded against the white of his sclera. His irises were white as well but very small. Yamaguchi didn't find it frightening, at least not anymore. Now, he was just drawn in by the demon's quadruple vision. He laughed gently to himself and heard the demon suck his teeth tersely.

He wanted to say something, to tease the demon, but realised that that wouldn't be smart. They weren't that familiar with each other yet, and honestly, he wasn't sure they would be. Ah! Now that was presumptuous! He assumed that he would have a reason to come back here. Once back home, Yamaguchi would tell someone of his adventures and make sure no one else could accidentally fall down here. … Had someone else fallen down here before?

“Probably…” Yamaguchi brought his head up, staring at Tsukishima. The word came out in an easy breath. All four eyes were set straight ahead – soon the top two gazed to the left, investigating something. The angel stared at the side of the demon's head; all of his thoughts went silent. He didn't know what to say at that moment and was glad when Tsukishima perked up slightly. “… Ah, this way.”

Yamaguchi paused in walking, letting the demon cross in front of him in a new direction. The angel watched silently for a few moments before taking a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, and following his guide.


	5. "I've Been Guided Blindly by Faith"

          “Things can never be easy, can they?”

Tsukishima was standing at the edge of the cliffside, dangerously so. He curled his toes over the edge; he set his hands on his hips. Four eyes set out towards the foggy distance. Yamaguchi hung back, unsure of what or who they were looking for. All he knew was that the stairs… weren't… there? He wasn't sure the logistics of the situation himself.

          “So,” the angel started nervously, stepping closer slowly. He stood two steps behind the demon. “What's the plan?”

          “We look for a place to settle down and wait.”

          “F—”

Yamaguchi swallowed down the question, knowing that the information would have been beyond him. It wouldn't do any good to start unfurling a tonne of questions, no matter how badly he wanted answers. Tsukishima took a few steps back and let his hands fall at his sides. As he walked away, Yamaguchi stared out into the endless fog, brows furrowed a bit. They weren't sure what was out there, how the stairs would come back, what they were waiting for… The angel lifted up their hands, curling them against his chest. This wasn't good at all. Just when he had found the way out.

“ _Useless… protection somehow…_ ” Yamaguchi looked over towards the left to where the demon had gone. Tsukishima was looking around for something until he walked towards two trees. The angel wondered what the blond was muttering about. Yamaguchi saw Tsukishima swipe his hands between the branches and turn to face Yamaguchi. The angel's expression bunched in confusion. Was the demon… holding a spider web in his hands? Yamaguchi grit his teeth together as Tsukishima balled up the web and rubbed it between his hands. The demon opened out his arms and unfurled the newly made fabric between his hands. Yamaguchi couldn't help but gasp. Tsukishima's eyes inspected the shawl, and when he deemed it was up to par, he headed over towards the angel.

          “Oh my, it's…” Yamaguchi began, meeting the demon halfway. “Is this… your…?” Yamaguchi wasn't sure what he was trying to say, but he hoped the demon understood.

          “This is _your_ protection.”

          Protection? “This?” Yamaguchi got to examine the shawl more closely once it was draped over his arms. It felt heavenly against his arms. It was so light. He tried hard not to look amazed.

He probably didn't succeed.

          “The eaters shouldn't be drawn to you if you wear this, and I'll be able to find you if you wander off.”

Yamaguchi looked up and saw those critical eyes focused on him. Yamaguchi shied away from the gaze. He brought the shawl around his back and draped it over the crook of his arms. He smiled softly.

          “Thanks,” he said, looking up.

          Tsukishima blinked and turned his head away, frowning a bit more. “Whatever.… It's not that big a deal.”

Yamaguchi smiled at the reaction, thinking that it was the most relaxed he had seen the demon since he had been here. Tsukishima began walking away, and the angel followed along, a bit giddy by the change in mood. He tugged the shawl closer to his form as they kept walking. The change in scenery was slow but dramatic. The trees began to dot along rising hills. The fog rolled in from the cliffside, obscuring the horizon just so. The sky was still orange and some tints of purple. Yamaguchi wondered if night fell here like it did in The Heights or if it was constantly sunset.

Yamaguchi lifted his head as they entered a valley. The hills on either side were tall and gently sloped towards the ground, creating a U-shape. To sate _some_ part of his growing curiosity, the angel reached out to his right and touched the lush green walls. He must have sounded excited because Tsukishima glanced back towards the angel. Yamaguchi immediately reeled it in. No need to embarrass himself. They continued on to the end of the valley. He could see thick, dark green trees just in front of them.

Yamaguchi made a soft, awestruck noise, walking past the demon towards the opening of trees. From their vantage point, he could see a bridge, an obscured view of buildings – homes? places of worsh… The angel scratched the thought before he continued. There was a chuckle just behind him. Underneath the bridge ran a sunlit river; its surface practically sparkled with each tiny ripple. A thin layer of fog settled over the water. He curled his fingers in the shawl and glanced back towards the demon leaning against the valley wall.

          “Do you… live here?”

          Tsukishima stared at the angel with all four eyes. The top two rolled and closed; the bottom pair kept a view on Yamaguchi. “You can say that. I've been moving around more.”

          “Oh. It's… beautiful.”

          “Mn, thanks. I'll send your compliments to the ones who founded this place.”

Yamaguchi smiled a bit, not taking the insult harshly this time.

          “Anyway, we need to go find the one we're looking for.”

          “Ah.” The angel watched as Tsukishima began stepping away. “Why'd you bring me here?”

          “What, you're complaining? It wasted time, didn't it?”

Yamaguchi looked back over his shoulder again towards the village. He very much did like the sight, so no… He wasn't complaining. Not at all. He pressed his lips together and smiled.

There wasn't any time wasted either, and honestly, he felt honoured he got a chance to see this.

 

— ◇ —

 

          “I assume that there are others, like you, Nishinoya, and Matsukawa.”

          Tsukishima let out a soft noise. “Yeah.”

          “Where are they?”

Tsukishima took a moment to look up to the sky. A small shadow passed over his body but not over the ground. The shadow didn't intersect with Yamaguchi either. The angel looked up. Strange. He almost expected to see a bird up there.

          “Somewhere,” Tsukishima finally replied. He lowered his head back down.

Yamaguchi stared at the demon's back. Tsukishima's cape flowed behind him, adding some sense of grace to his long gait. Lowering his gaze, Yamaguchi finally noticed that the sash around Tsukishima's waist. It was black, much like the rest of his outfit (cape aside), but two tassels hung from the left side: one orange and one yellow. The angel would have chastised himself for not noticing before, but with everything that happened when they first met, he didn't have the mind to let his gaze linger. Now, he allowed himself to take in the demon's garment. It was so much different from his own.

Yamaguchi was dressed for comfort – tunic, flowing pants, slippers – whereas Tsukishima was dressed for mobility – bodysuit, sash, no shoes. No shoes, just black bands edged in dark grey wrapping between his knees and ankles. The catsuit hooked around the arch of Tsukishima's feet, keeping the demon's toes and heel free. Practical, incredibly. Yamaguchi wasn't sure he would be able to walk around barefooted so casually. He hummed softly and brought his gaze up the demon's back, admiring his height. He saw how the catsuit even reached up to the nape of Tsukishima's neck; the material followed the curve of the demon's jaw. Yamaguchi wondered if it was comfortable.

          “It's just up this way. You didn't fall behind, did you?” the demon asked curtly, not turning his back to look.

          “Mn!” Yamaguchi lifted his chin and jogged forward, coming to the demon's side. “Not at all!” For some reason, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. “I'm right here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my issues about being a 'writer' coming into my own form again is that I get really scared to do what I used to do. I used to describe people a lot – their clothing, their attributes, and so on. I wouldn't do it all in one go, mind you, but I had a pacing. I knew how to set up a scene's imagery and work from there. I've focused a lot more on dialogue and characterisation since then (once I picked up writing again), but I missed my fundamental style of imagery. So I'm going to go back to that.
> 
> I think – in October, maybe sooner – I'm going to start doing mini challenges with descriptors. I can go full Ernest Hemingway and just lay down the imagery. None of this stuff will be published and it'll mostly be OC work, but it'll be fun. I don't want to be scared to just do stuff. Even if it doesn't work out at first, I can build from that.
> 
> So that's my ending nugget of wisdom for you guys: if you want to change something, just do it. Write all the stories you want with specific things you need to work on in them. Publish them; don't. Share them; don't. The point of this is for you to write and do things that you want to do/need to work on. Don't be scared. Just… do it. Thank you, Shia LeBeouf + formerly, mostly Nike®.
> 
> Also, I apologise for the style of this chapter. This one was a struggle, but I promise action in the next one.


	6. "I am Not a Visitor to the Valley but a Resident"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might've gone a little overkill in this one. Apologies for the length.

Their traveling this time brought them to a stream, one that – Tsukishima joked – Yamaguchi hopefully wouldn't fall into. The angel pouted and rolled his eyes at the demon's words.

          “It was just one time!” Yamaguchi defended, albeit a bit halfheartedly. “Won't happen again.”

          “Uh-huh,” Tsukishima replied. “Somehow I doubt that.”

Thankfully, crossing the stream wasn't a big deal, so Yamaguchi didn't have to defend himself further. The other side of the river had a row of columns, two of which were broken. The angel wondered if that meant something. He turned his head to the right and saw a statue at the end of the stream. He raised his brows and made his way over towards it. It was made from sand marble, he realised upon touching it. The figure had beautifully layered hair, was knelt down on both knees, and hunched over, holding a vase. From the vase came a continuous flow of water, which made the stream. The figure had two wings: one was feathered and the other was breaking up. At first, Yamaguchi took the cracks and missing pieces as a sign of age, but upon stepping closer, he realised that there were bones carved within the fissured spaces. Yamaguchi was careful in circling around the statue, adoring the detail in its draping clothing and even the adornments in its hair.

The angel looked to Tsukishima in wonder and pulled away. His fingers grazed upon the broken plague on the statue's base, trailing over the letters _A k a_ …

          “Who is that?” Yamaguchi asked reverently as he stepped away, motioning his had towards the statue.

          “I can't… answer that.” Tsukishima glanced to the state for a moment before looking away. “It's a sad story.”

Suddenly, Yamaguchi felt himself frown. He looked back to the marble creation and felt a new sensation flow up from his core.

          “If it helps, they're not dead,” the demon stated flatly. Yamaguchi turned his wide eyes back to the devil. Tsukishima glanced to the statue for a moment. “They're… just sleeping. There are a few different statues of them scattered about. You'll see them in their various states of rest.”

Yamaguchi hummed slightly, feeling only slightly consoled by the words. If anything, now he just wanted to know the story, but he wasn't sure if he could withstand the emotion.

          “Come on,” Tsukishima said, pulling the angel out of his pitying reverie. “Let's move over here.”

          “We're not leaving?”

          The blond nodded his head towards the statue. “They're the one we're looking for.”

And now, Yamaguchi's emotions took him anew. He was surprised to a new level. While he was happy that it meant the statue – er, demon – would wake soon, it also meant that they were frozen there for whatever reason. Yamaguchi wasn't sure how to feel.

          “That's… amazing.”

          “I guess,” came the flat reply.

Yamaguchi almost found it fit to laugh.

He followed Tsukishima over to the columns. Tsukishima sat in front of an unbroken one close to the sleeping statue-demon. Yamaguchi sat in front of him, legs tucked to the side. He still had so many questions to ask, and he wondered on which to pick first. He settled on a conversation they had earlier.

          “Tsukishima… you said that there were other demons like you and the others, right?”

          The demon focused on him silently. Yamaguchi took that as a form of an answer.

          “And you said that there are others around here somewhere? Does that mean they're off fighting? Is that all you guys do?”

          Tsukishima sighed, a bit irritably. “Not all of us.”

          “What do you mean?”

Silence fell between them and Tsukishima closed his eyes. Yamaguchi placed his hands on the ground, leaning forward.

          “Hey… You can read my mind, can't you?”

          “What made you figure that out?”

          “Hn. Just sometimes here and there, you would react or move a certain way.” Yamaguchi tilted his head and furrowed his brows. “Back when I asked myself if anyone else has fallen here, you said 'Probably.'”

          “Ooh, so you're not dense.”

          Yamaguchi frowned, disliking the evasive sarcasm. “Tsukishima…”

          The demon groaned, rolling the top pair of eyes. The second pair stared at Yamaguchi, half-lidded. “Yes, I can read your mind.”

          “… Can you stop?” He realised that that sounded rude, but it was a genuine question.

          “I have no choice.” Tsukishima raised a leg, resting his wrist on his knee. “That's my 'gift'.”

          Remembering the strangeness he felt earlier, Yamaguchi asked, “And Nishinoya? What about his?”

          “You're a nosy little angel, aren't you?”

Yamaguchi huffed and purposefully emptied out his thoughts. He only _felt_ indignant. He was sure that Tsukishima could gather why. The demon smirked slightly. With one blink, all eyes were set on Yamaguchi with that same bored expression he was coming to be familiar with.

          “So, what are you asking?” The demon prompted.

          “I just wanted to know… what you all do here. Do you only fight those eater things? How come you were so willing to help me?”

          “We try to keep things minimally chaotic here in Low Sky. Less work for me; less shit to keep up with.”

Yamaguchi nodded and placed one hand over the other, scooting his legs closer and sitting a bit upright. He was getting comfortable for a story. Hopefully, he wouldn't be disappointed.

          “We fight the all-eaters. Make sure all the disorientated souls get their way and so on. I don't handle the guiding business. I can't really be bothered,” Tsukishima explained. Before Yamaguchi could ask why, the blond pointed at him. “You're different. I could feel your panic miles away. It was giving me a headache. As a rule, we're bound to understand each other, but my gift goes beyond that. If something new's within my range or thinks hard enough, I can hear what they're thinking. I can't turn it off completely, but I can curb it.” After a beat, Tsukishima added. “And I'm not tellin' you what the others do. Find out yourself. I'm sure they'll love talking.”

Except Matsukawa, Yamaguchi reasoned. He didn't seem to talk much – or at all. He could have been a mute. The brunet supposed he would never know. He moved his top hand to fiddle with his sash. He heard Tsukishima take a breath and let it out in a low breath of “Ugh, I hate this.” Yamaguchi's lips tugged up to the left. He didn't mean to be amused by that, but. Well.

          Tsukishima leaned back against his hands, fingers curling in the grass. “I fight; others guide for a living; and then you have those that herd. There are souls being rallied. I couldn't tell you for what, but it's making shit more complicated for me. When they escape, they turn into some serious hellbeast.” He raised a short brow. “Be happy you won't be around to see it.”

Yamaguchi hummed softly and looked over towards the statue-demon. Their eyes were half-opened now and the vase water was running strong. Yamaguchi was quick to take it as a good sign but suddenly wasn't sure if he should or not.

          “They're waking up,” Tsukishima muttered. “Good and we can—” He stopped immediately and jutted a hand out to Yamaguchi. He moved to his feet in a fluid motion, hunched over in a crouch. “Wrap yourself up.”

          “Ah!” Yamaguchi was startled. He gripped one side of the shawl and pulled it up over his shoulder. The rest fell against his back. Admittedly, he felt a bit silly.

When Tsukishima cut him a four-fold glare, the angel buttoned up any stray complaints he might have had. Tsukishima muttered a few instructions, and Yamaguchi was quick to follow. He pulled himself up into a crouch as well and backed away carefully beside the statue. Tsukishima glanced over his shoulder.

          “And pull the shawl over your head. Otherwise, there was no point in giving it to you.”

 _“You should have_ said _that_ ,” Yamaguchi thought hastily, tugging the shawl to the top of his head.

He was proud when the demon clicked his tongue and turned away. Yamaguchi felt the shawl widen and cascade down his back. He tugged more of the fabric over his arms, covering his chest and knees and feeling properly wrapped up. He plucked the hem of the shawl with his nails and tugged it to his forehead. He didn't want it falling off, though he wasn't sure at this point if it would or not.

Always best to be on the safe side.

Tsukishima waited and placed his hands on the ground, fingers propped up onto their tips. He arched his back and lifted up onto the balls of his feet. He was ready to run forward, but he was waiting. For what? Yamaguchi brought a hand up to his mouth and realised that he must have been distracting. An apology flitted through his mind, and he covered his mouth with his other hand as well. Okay, brain. No more thinking.

When Tsukishima kicked off, Yamaguchi _swore_ he could hear a small exhale from the demon. Tsukishima's first step took forever to connect with the ground, but once it did, he was off. He didn't leave behind any after images or anything of the like. First he was there, and then he was gone. No literally — _gone_. Yamaguchi's eyes rounded with surprise. The demon didn't just _leave_ him, did he?!

Something ran into view from the right side and between the pillars just a ways down the stream. It moved quickly, kicking up dust as it did. Yamaguchi didn't think it was a demon; it must have been one of those all-eaters. When Tsukishima reappeared, he did so with a grunt of effort. He crossbody tackled the all-eater to the ground. Yamaguchi couldn't help the excited 'whoop' he let out in response. Tsukishima raised his hands and twisted them above his head. He curled his fingers and brought them down, producing something that Yamaguchi couldn't see all too well. He rubbed his lips together.

The demon moved with a few hasty motions, fingers snapping and causing the all-eater to cry out in response. For Yamaguchi, this was a weird sight. He wasn't sure entirely what to make of it. But he did could easily spot a bad situation, which this one was turning into.

The all-eater let out a noise Yamaguchi had never heard before. It was almost like a roar, but the noise was so pitched down and scratchy around the edges. It was unsettling; it made his chest hurt. He furrowed his brows and gasped when Tsukishima lifted his arms to protect himself. The wild creature scratched at Tsukishima before grabbing him by both arms and throwing him to the side, setting him further away from Yamaguchi. The creature jumped up to its feet and leaned over the demon.

Circles of dust kicked up around Tsukishima and the creature. Before they disappeared, they were drawn right back in with alarming speed. Yamaguchi watched as the all-eater twitched violently and took a step back. When he felt something on his head, he looked up, panicked. There was a chocolate brown sash blocking his immediate line of sight. He tugged it down gently and saw that the statue-demon was coming to life.

The first change Yamaguchi immediately noticed was in the flow of clothing. Certain layers rippled and fell, soon draping over the pedestal. The statue's eyes were open wide and were completely white. The carved wings twitched and lifted up, pieces of marble falling from their length. As more marble fell away, the wings started to take a new form. Yamaguchi expected feathers to fall or maybe see some type of membrane, but he let out a tiny breath at the sight of long graceful arms.

He heard a pained noise and immediately looked back, seeing that Tsukishima was standing between him and the all-eater now. But Tsukishima had a hand on one of his arms. Yamaguchi thought to stand up but immediately knew that there was nothing he could do. In Low Sky, he couldn't fight, couldn't fly, couldn't do anything aside from be a walking weight. He curled his fingers tight against the shawl and brought his head up at the sound of cracking. There was a line of glowing light down the statue-demon's spine. The newly formed arms moved slowly at first before grabbing the sides of the split for a hasty few seconds, and then their movements slowed once again. They pushed apart with jerking movements, splitting the statue-demon's back open. Yamaguchi grimaced. Two new arms pulled out of the space and set on either side of the split as well. The demon pulled their head out with two jerking motions and then focused those wide, blank eyes on Yamaguchi. The angel yelped.

He turned his head away and glanced over to Tsukishima, encouraging him to hurry up but also to be safe. Was it possible to be safe at this point? Doubtful, but he hoped that the demon would come back in one piece. Yamaguchi chanced a glance up to the statue-demon to his left. Yes, they were still staring, but now there was a light over parts of their body where clothes would soon set. Good. Hopefully, Yamaguchi would stop being watched. The angel swallowed down a lump in their throat and turned their attention back to the fight.

He looked up to see Tsukishima walking his way and snarling. The angel jumped to his feet and ran over, assuming it was safe. As he jogged to meet the blond, Yamaguchi peeked around the demon and saw that the all eater was pinned down as well with similar black feathers. It was growling heinously deep in its chest. The sound almost reverberated through the ground. Yamaguchi bit down on his bottom lip and looked up towards Tsukishima.

          “Aah, you're okay!”

          Tsukishima's lip curled up higher, exposing the sharpness of his teeth. “I guess.” He looked from Yamaguchi to the statue. The angel didn't follow his gaze.

In fact, Yamaguchi set his sights elsewhere, checking the damage that the demon had endured, and honestly… He was incredibly alarmed at the sight. He gripped Tsukishima's hand and forearm with both his hands. The demon winced slightly as the stinging crept over his skin.

          “Your blood is—”

          “Black, yeah,” Tsukishima interrupted. “What of it?”

          “But. _Why?_ ”

          Tsukishima looked indignant and confused. “Because it… sustains us. What, do you not bleed?”

Yamaguchi nervously rubbed his thumb against the demon's palm. Tsukishima had the grace to pretend not to notice.

          “…No.”

          “You are… pathetic creatures, really.”

          “But why do you? I don't understand.”

Tsukishima paused and brought his free hand to his face. As if suddenly noticing where his hands had been, Yamaguchi released the demon and returned the captive arm.

          “You kept asking what we do around here: _this_. We fight; we look for order. We sort through the _shit_ you 'fancies' don't want you put up with.” He grit his teeth before looking to Yamaguchi as well. “You all think it's a punishment to have flesh that cracks, a body that bleeds, but I think it's worth something.” He lowered his arms at his sides. “It shows more effort than anything you've ever been through.”

Yamaguchi flinched at the burning hostility. He took a step back, staring up at the demon and feeling hurt, embarrassed. He was only concerned. He didn't understand, so he… Tsukishima pressed his lips together and looked away suddenly. He curled his fists at his sides. Black blood ran down his arm; the cracks in his right arm were more severe. Yamaguchi couldn't help but let his gaze focus on them.

And suddenly, Yamaguchi relaxed. The emotion was lifted from his mind; his body slumped; and he felt a bit… tired. Yeah, that's it. He felt tired. He leaned his body back and felt a weight holding him up. He was only slightly aware of the arms wrapped around his middle, the hand on his hip, and the fingers against his forehead. Tsukishima's posture relaxed too, less tense and hostile. Someone spoke. The tone was firm, but the voice was soft, light, airy. The words filled his mind and felt as though they spilled from his own lips. Yamaguchi blinked lazily.

          “It's alright now. Please be calm.” The other demon was so soothing. Yamaguchi had no choice.

He didn't feel alarmed, and he wasn't sure if it was because he couldn't or because he had no reason to. Well, if Tsukishima wasn't angry-looking still, then there was probably nothing to worry about. Maybe.

          “Sleep long enough?” The blond asked.

          “Mn.” It was a short noise, brief. The arms unwrapped from around Yamaguchi, gently holding him up until the other demon pulled away.

Yamaguchi turned his head to the right as the newcomer came to their side. As he took in the full form of the now living statue-demon, Yamaguchi was still relaxed. He wasn't surprised by the multiple limbs, the cracks running down the demon's right side from face to neck, or the bone exposed in one of those graceful arms. Tsukishima crossed his arms. The bleeding had turned sluggish now; fat drops fell from his flesh to the grass.

          “I need the stairwell.”

          “Follow me then,” the black haired demon said.

          Tsukishima reached out to grab Yamaguchi by the crook of his left arm and pulled him along. “C'mon. You're going home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hint: not the only one with multiple arms. ♪
> 
> Snarling is my most favourite thing, and this scene was one of the first ones I had written. I really like it. Enjoy the tension! The best way to describe Akaashi's movements is a slow, quick-quick, slow type of deal. So foxtrotting — or fast forward, slow-mo. Take your pick; either is apt.


	7. "Your Voice Repeats the Feelings I Lost So Long Ago"

It was hard to explain exactly what Yamaguchi was feeling. There was excitement and relief swirling in his chest. There was a small part of him that was… possibly… He bit down on his bottom lip, mind clouding over. Tsukishima eventually let the angel go once he seemed right enough to walk on his own two feet. Yamaguchi smoothed his hands over his tunic nervously.

          “Excuse me,” he began.

          “Akaashi,” the black haired demon stated without turning, dulcet voice multiplying and fading into a whisper.

          “… Akaashi,” Yamaguchi repeated, entranced.

          “Here we go,” Tsukishima muttered under his breath.

That brought Yamaguchi back, and he stared up at the blond.

          “So, how are we getting the stairs back?”

          “Some flailing, some waiting — that's really it,” Tsukishima replied.

A cold wind swept over the two of them. For Yamaguchi, it reminded him of home. Tsukishima, unfortunately, shivered bodily and wrapped his arms around himself. Ahead of them, Akaashi broadened their shoulders, walking with a straighter posture (and a bit more off their toes). Yamaguchi smiled and ran his fingers over the shawl.

The return trip didn't feel like much of one at all. Yamaguchi asked questions about the area, only to listen to Tsukishima's quips and Akaashi's very direct rebuttals. The multi-eyed demon glared at Yamaguchi with his left eyes, but that didn't ebb away the angel's enjoyment.

Akaashi was beautiful and not particularly soft spoken. It was best to say that they weren't one for conversation. When they spoke, their words were firm, sentences brief. Yamaguchi admired the flow of Akaashi's movements, both of their body and their arms. The secondary arms on Akaashi's back crossed behind the demon's head, fingers gently cupping their neck. At times, those arms would raise to emphasize the direction the statue-demon was pointing or to uncross and layer over each other in a different position.

When they arrived back at the cliffside, the realisation fell upon Yamaguchi. He and Tsukishima stopped walking, leaving the other demon to continue forward. Akaashi took a moment to observe their surroundings. Just as Tsukishima had before, Akaashi stood at the edge of the cliff and stared peacefully out to the foggy distance. After a moment, they nodded and stepped away. Yamaguchi glanced up to Tsukishima, questions echoing in his mind. Tsukishima winced and stared down at the angel. “Quiet,” he mumbled. Yamaguchi jumped slightly and nodded apologetically. He set his sights forward again.

Akaashi quietly summoned the stairwell, words echoing in whispers every once in a while. Yamaguchi glanced up to Tsukishima, who watched the summoning silently. The angel started to say something, wanting to break the silence. He thought of saying 'thank you' or ask how long this would take. He didn't find anything and found that that was enough. His thoughts were too jumbled to figure something out just now. That and he had already annoyed Tsukishima once with his rattling mind. 

Akaashi spun and came down to their knees. Their dominant hands and forehead pressed down against the floor. Their secondary arms moved in an upward wave. The fog rolled up with the motion. The stairs coiled out of the smoke, solidifying a few moments later. Akaashi sat back on their legs, dominant hands in their lap and secondary hands opened out to either side.

Yamaguchi moved closer, tucking the shawl in the crooks of his arms. This was it; he was finally going back home. He knew that he could have been gone for much longer, sure, but everything considered, it would be nice to be returning to something more familiar. Akaashi stood and extended out their right arms as they stepped to the side. A very silent “Here's your way out.” Yamaguchi was so elated; he clapped his hands together and bowed to the statue-demon. 

          “Thank you! Thank you so much!” He turned around and faced Tsukishima, stepping closer to the blond. “And… thank you for helping me.” He brought the sash up to his face. “And for this.”

          “You can keep that, by the way. Won't do me any good.”

          Yamaguchi's smile widened and he nodded. “I will!”

He bowed deeply and heard the slight groan in front of him. When he stood up, he saw Tsukishima bent forward just slightly with a hand on his stomach. The angel fought to keep down his smile. He turned then, to keep his expression hidden, and headed towards the conjured stairs. Akaashi slightly placed their lower right hand down and a hand railing glimmered briefly into view. The angel let out a soft noise and stepped closer, placing his hand were Akaashi's was. He felt a lot more secure. He climbed up the stairs and paused once he was a few up. He turned and saw the two demons staring up at him. Yamaguchi smiled to the two of them.

He gave a passing glance over his shoulder as he advanced upward. Most of the stairs he had traversed were covered by fog, so he couldn't see the full extent of his travel. And yet… for some reason… He pressed his lips together and sighed through his nose, turning back and continuing forward. He brought through a layer of clouds, and immediately felt the familiar chill against his skin. This time, it was biting and unexpected. He brought the shawl around his shoulders and continued to climb the stairs. Even though it didn't last for long, there was still the lingering warmth within the fabric.

He turned his head to the left and stopped. The horizon was baby blue and a blinding white, as if the Sun itself was about to peek into view. Yamaguchi's lips parted at the beauty. He blinked and touched his left cheek, feeling moisture there. Just a single tear. He curled his fingers and pressed a kiss against his knuckles. No time for that. He was so close to home.  
 

— ◇ —

 

Arms wrapped around him tightly. A heavy breath was sighed into his shoulder. Yamaguchi returned the embrace with his own intensity. It felt so good to be home again. Even in his own clothing! When he set foot in The Heights, his own clothing had returned to him again. The shawl he had gotten from Tsukishima formed a nice sash around his middle. It was a nice souvenir.

The hug broke, and Yamaguchi stared into those worried brown eyes. Suga combed their fingers through the other angel's hair and sighed heavily in relief.

          “I was so worried about you.”

          “I… I know.”

          “What happened?” Suga came to Yamaguchi's side and guided him towards the living quarters. “You'll have to tell me everything.”

          Yamaguchi laughed gently and nodded his head, following along. “I will, but first… do you mind if I lay down first?”

          “Right, right. I shouldn't hassle you too much.”

They shared a smile and headed into the quarters silently. Yamaguchi pushed away the curtain in his doorway, entering with a sigh. Suga held the curtain aside, smiling as the other angel looked around his room. They tipped their head down slightly and took a step back.

          “Well, I'll leave you to it. And Yamaguchi?”

          “Yes?” The brunet angel turned, blinking at his superior.

          Suga smiled. “It's good to have you home.”

          “It's great to be back.”

Suga nodded and let the curtain swing close again. Yamaguchi looked around his room and lowered himself down to his bed. He brought his hands together and sighed deeply. It was so great to be home – somewhere he belonged. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is late. I'm fighting off some inner demons. Thank you for your support. Until the next one.


	8. "Your Support will be My Shield Moving Forward"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gods, there's an update. This is definitely one of the longest chapters.

Coming by to The Heights was like a completely different experience. It wasn't as though people were treating him any better or worse. The souls were still just as chatty as always. A few preferred to be alone, either in pairs or completely solo. Yamaguchi knew that, was familiar with that, and was happy that other angels weren't panicked over him. Yachi did, in her own way. She visited Yamaguchi while he was getting settled and tried _very_ hard not to celebrate him being back. He was glad she kept her enthusiasm down. He wouldn't be ready for one of her power hugs just yet. After “visiting” Low Sky, he had learned some new things. He saw what was happening under his nose, under all of theirs! He wasn't exactly sure on the details — the whys and the how long all of this had been going on — but he saw fighting. Some parts of him still suspected it was all a war on its own front. Maybe one of the other angels knew what was going on. He made a mental note to ask about that.

He ran his fingers through his hair, staring at the oval mirror resting in the corner of his room. He stared at his own reflection. His hair was disheveled from sleep; he sat with robes pooling around his waist. The shawl Tsukishima had given him was draping over the bed to his right. He wasn't sure whether he would wear it or not, but it was there to add onto his options. The angel pressed his tongue against his cheek, thinking long and hard about what he would do with his day. Outside of his duties, of course. He would probably look into the mission and history of Low Sky. He brought his hands down to his shoulders, from which they fell as he thought.

How long had Tsukishima been fighting down there? How long had Akaashi been a statue? When did they ever find time to rest? Tsukishima said that he travelled, right? Yamaguchi closed his eyes and brought his hands to his face, rubbing there somewhat aggressively. He was thinking too much, and he was hardly out of bed yet. The angel sighed at himself and gathered up his array of robes in his arms. With a groan, he leaned his body backwards and flopped against his bed.

He stared up at his ceiling as he pondered his next steps. He knew it wouldn't be smart to just ask around, even Suga would have a few questions. He weighed the pros and cons of that. It would make sense for him to ask questions. Going to an unfamiliar place, being surrounded by imperfect beings fighting one another. With a gasp, he sat up quickly and stared at his reflection again. Imperfect. They were all physically scarred in some way. _Pieces_ , even, were missing from their flesh, but they didn't bleed unless attacked. He ran his fingers over his knuckles, up his arms, and to his face. His fingers traced over his freckled cheeks and parted lips, brows furrowed in confusion at their state. He wondered if there was a reason they were like that.

Was it from the fighting? Was it because they lived in Low Sky? So many questions he never had a chance to ask. He wondered if he would even get his answers here.

He turned his gaze out towards his window. The dust danced in the Sunlight beaming in through his window. He sat in silence, listening to the shuffling and chatter outside. He sighed heavily and decided to pick one of the many, many robes he had strewn about his form. He peeled the rest away and set them on his bed. It was time to get dressed and go about his day. He shouldn't hole himself up. He was sure that there were people who would want to see him.

And surely enough, there was. Some of the spiritual visitors inquired about his absence. Others lead him to other angels that had been asking about him. He found himself bouncing back and forth between conversations. Even though he took a decent break between each one, he still felt slightly overwhelmed. He took a break in the main square, surprised that angels and souls alike were sparsely present. He sat down on a bench and leaned his head back against the pentagon garden in the square center. He let out a deep breath, feeling the stress leave his body like smoke. Someone came to sit beside him, and he turned his head slightly.

Yaku leaned back against the bench, head resting on the wall as well. He didn't take his gaze away from the thin clouds overhead or the milky blue sky. When the short haired angel spoke, Yamaguchi sat himself up straighter.

          “Heard you took yourself a little trip.”

          “Yessir,” Yamaguchi said quietly, staring down at the hands on his lap.

          “C'mon. Don't be formal.” Yaku uncrossed his arms and reached over, patting the other angel on the shoulder. “Are you okay? Feel free to relax, you know. Everyone was pretty worried about you.”

          “Everyone?” Yamaguchi asked with a slight smile, slowly leaning back against the bench.

          “Well. Not everyone,” Yaku replied, returning the smile. “There are those difficult visitors, and the angels who just don't give a damn.”

          “Yeah, of course.”

Yamaguchi turned his gaze down, feeling the other's hand finally slide from his shoulder. He could feel Yaku's gaze on him. He wanted to talk but didn't know what to say. His shoulders lifted with the inhale of a word and stilled when nothing came out. Thankfully for him, the mature angel spoke first.

          “I heard you went to Low Sky…” He tipped his head slightly. “Word gets around, but thankfully only with those that won't make things worse.” He tapped his fingers against his thigh. “How was it? Just as bad as we were told?”

          “Not… really, no.” Yamaguchi looked over to him. “Can I be honest with you?”

Yaku nodded and turned slightly to give the other angel his full attention. Yamaguchi appreciated it.

          “Low Sky wasn't nearly as bad as other people have said. They made it out to be this horrible battlefield, strewn with bodies and gore. Something out of our nightmares, right?”

          “The worst of the worst,” Yaku agreed with a small nod.

          “It's not like that. It has trees pretty much everywhere. Really. There were trees and streams and buildings.” He paused to find himself before his thoughts ran away. “One of the demons down there helped me. He kept me protected from the creatures that lived there.”

          “Ah, the curse.”

Yamaguchi thought to ask but decided to hold that off for later. He was getting good at holding back questions. He pushed past that for now.

          “I don't like the rumours. They were completely wrong, and that really bugs me.” He brought a hand to his chest. “At first, the stories were just that – stories to me, but now I see that they're nothing more than rumours.” Yamaguchi wasn't sure if he should continue, but he couldn't hold back how he felt. “I want to go back.”

          “Whoa, hey now.” Yaku glanced around before scooting closer and lowering his voice. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

          “I don't want to move there,” Yamaguchi stated, trying to keep a smile on his face as half-hearted as it was, “but if someone who knows the place can just be down there and correct the rumours, then we might be able to do… something.”

          “Something like what?”

Yamaguchi had spoken before his thoughts were properly aligned. What would he be able to do? Being down in Low Sky was pretty dangerous, and there was no guarantee that he would be able to do anything substantial. He had to pick something that was small enough, innocuous enough for him to do alone. If he made any grandiose statement, someone would have to come with him. Maybe that would be fine later down the road, but right now… He just wanted to be a bit selfish.

          “I want to put some of the rumours at ease. I won't be able to change all of them, not by myself, but I know what's down there. Maybe we can convince someone to let me go and… document things?”

          “Just become a little scribe and float back and forth between worlds?”

          “If I'm able to.” Yamaguchi's voice was softer then, slightly less confident in his idea.

Yaku paused for a long time and looked away. Yamaguchi could tell that the other angel was bouncing the idea back and forth in his mind, so he decided to press his luck. Maybe he could get Yaku on his side.

          “I won't leave immediately. I'll take some time to get my bearings here and maybe form a plan of some kind? I don't know who to talk to, but I just don't want to leave with everything I still have to do here.”

          “Well… We'll have to work together on this,” Yaku finally replied, looking over to the freckled angel. “I'll see if I can get Sugawara and someone else to help. I might be able to wrangle one of the messengers to help check up on you.”

          “Check on me…?”

          “It'll probably be a formality, but I'll make sure that he's not checking on you every hour of the day.” Yaku shook his head slightly, gaze turned to the side. “But we want to compromise something right off the bat. If you don't want them to send anyone after you, we need to keep the lines of communication open in case something happens.”

          Yamaguchi nodded and lowered his gaze, picking at his nails. “Makes sense.”

          Yaku reached over and pat the other angel on the shoulder before standing up. “But we don't have to worry about this all right now. You still need to get yourself settled. We'll let you know when we get ourselves connected with the higher ups.”

          Yamaguchi stood as well and smiled wide. “Thank you so much!”

          “No problem. Keep that smile. You've got yourself quite the audience.”

          The freckled angel laughed and nodded once. “Yessir.”

The following days stretched out into a week. Yamaguchi organised his room and visited the grand library, trying to gain more inside. Today was one of those days. The building was eccentric in designs and was one of his favourites in all of the Heights. One the outside, the window was tilted to the side, partially submerged underwater. The door was just above the waters surface. A wide, arching bridge connected the library to the mainland. There had been a few times in the past when Yamaguchi climbed the library's side and sat upon it, watching the sun rise and set. He fondly stroked one of the sideways pillars as he passed under it, opening the door and stepping in.

The library, he had been told, had been rebuilt to keep it even despite the library's tilted position. It took close to a million years to restore and rewrite all of the books that had been waterlogged. Some angels of knowledge were still in a lengthy sleep from straining themselves, trying to restore the almost-lost erudition. He glanced up to the upper balconies, staring up at the paintings lined the wall he could see. Painted portraits of all the angels that worked in this space. There were dozens on that floor, he knew. He used to spend time walking slowly between each painting, admiring the skill used to make each one. He probably spent as much time adoring them as someone did making them.

He brought the bound book to his chest and headed straight to one of the aisles. He knew exactly which section he needed to be in and which author he had to read. When he arrived, he was surprised to see two other angels standing there. Yaku shook his head, flipping the pages.

          “I just don't get it,” he admitted, finally closing the book. “Why would they make Low Sky a horror story?”

          “To keep us safe,” Suga gently replied, taking the book and reading over its back cover. “Maybe there's something we–”

          “Hey, you two, ah…” Yamaguchi stepped forward, holding his notebook to his side. “What are you two doing here?”

          “We came looking for you,” Suga replied. “Figured you'd be here.”

          “And we were right.” Yaku this time. “We were willing to wait all day if we had to.”

          “Well…” Suga laughed and placed the book back in its place.

Yamaguchi came closer and handed over his notebook to Yaku, who stood closest to him.

          “You've been busy,” the older angel responded.

          “Yeah,” Yamaguchi sighed. “I'm pretty worn out.”

          “It'll really pay off,” Suga said, leaning closer to the notebook as Yaku flipped through it. “Aah, you even have some notes here.” He pointed to the inner seam of the page.

          “Just things to help me remember what each part was about.” Yamaguchi spoke nervously, but he tried to distract himself by reading the titles on book spines.

          “Where're you going to write your thoughts? There's so much in here.” Yaku joked and closed the book.

In the corner of his eye, Yamaguchi noticed the two angels give each other a look. Suga motioned a hand to Yaku, and the shorter angel nodded.

          “We've got some news – a mix of bad and good. Depends on which way you lean,” Yaku began.

          Yamaguchi turned, giving up his pretense. “What is it?”

          A beat of silence. “We've made some headway for you. We've been granted different audiences, so we've spun the same story over and over again, but… we did it. You'll get your chance to go to Low Sky.”

Yamaguchi smiled brightly, about to thank the others when Suga lifted up a hand.

          “There were only two conditions we couldn't say no to.”

          Yamaguchi's smile waned. He brought his hands together. “What were they?”

          “You have to use a messenger to communicate back and forth with us. It won't be every day. In fact, you can choose when you'll need one. The messenger will provide you with a proper device to call them with, so we can't help you on that front.”

          A nod. “And the other?”

          The news was all the more harrowing when the two spoke in unions. “The Neutralis are coming today.”

          “F-for me?”

          Yaku nodded. “They're the ones who are going to send you back to Low Sky.”

Yamaguchi wasn't sure how to respond to that. He had never seen a Neutralis up close before. He saw the crowds, heard the surprised gasps and murmurs when the two beings passed through the Heights. They weren't unfamiliar presences at all. Yamaguchi had heard of them visiting a few times before, but it was always very serious when they arrived. He never knew what they were there for, but now was different. They would be coming for him. He brought his hand to his chest, fingers curling in the feathers of his coat.

          “When… will they be here?”

          “I can't be sure exactly when, but they'll be here today definitely,” Yaku stated.

          Suga asked. “Do you need anything from your quarters?”

          Yamaguchi shook his head, dumbfounded. “O-oh, wait. My sash. I have to go get that.”

          “We'll head that way then,” Suga said, starting to walk past Yamaguchi. “They agreed to meet us in the vineyard so be prepared.”

Despite the well meaning advice, Yamaguchi wasn't sure he really _could_ be prepared, but he would do his best not to embarrass himself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this was definitely one of the longest chapters I've done for this, and it was mostly a lot of talking. The next one will more than likely be much of the same. I want to thank ladyoftomatoes again for the [fantastic fan art](https://sayallfiend.tumblr.com/post/155416416984/). I will honestly cherish this! There are two out of three character introductions left. The last one will happen towards the end.
> 
> I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves. Thank you so much for your support.


	9. "Differences Between Us Bring Us Together"

Yamaguchi was glad that there wasn't a crowd. If there was when the Neutralis entered, there wasn't one now. He fought himself not to pace in the gazebo while waiting for the other beings. Now he, was fighting himself not to outright leave. If he was lucky, his brain would fry out, and he would spontaneously combust. Maybe that was asking for a lot. He felt a pair of hands on his arms before looking left and right to Yaku and Suga. Muttering his thanks, the nervous angel sat between the two. He kept his gaze forward, fingers nervously clenched in the tails of his sash. The hill had a deep slope; the walkway leading down followed the slope and divided the neat vineyard. He felt the arrival before he saw it. The two hands tightened on his arms.

The two mature angels gently shushed him, trying to keep him from getting to ahead of himself. Yamaguchi could feel his spirit pulsing frantically against his flesh, desperately trying to crawl away and hide somewhere. Suga moved closer then, feeling his distress via an unseen connection. They scooted closer to the younger angel and brought their arm up to his head. They ran their fingers soothingly through the choppy locks, trying to calm him. It worked; it kept him grounded, but the stress left him just a bit tired. He thanked them, and Suga returned some of the space. They squeezed a hand on his shoulder before drawing their hand away. He reached over and nervously took their hand. The two beings came over the hill and entered the gazebo. Yamaguchi felt a lump in his throat, and he moved to stand. The taller of the two raised a hand, motioning for him to sit back down. Yamaguchi was happy to do so. He didn't trust his legs to keep him steady.

There was a heavy silence. Yamaguchi wasn't sure whether he should give in or wait. The Neutralis were, as far as Yamaguchi knew, the only ones of their kind. They were, in that respect, originators by the names of Kenma and Oikawa. They had full names, but Yamaguchi didn't know them. He always thought he would be overstepping his boundaries if he ever asked. The two had very unique looks. Kenma had a mask over his eyes that also covered the top of his slender nose. His lips were in a constant, small pout, but even with such a small detail, Yamaguchi could tell that he wasn't emoting specifically. That was probably just his natural expression. Maybe it was in his posture, his very presence, but Kenma seemed very relaxed and also very small. The Neutralis next to him, however, exuded something larger than life.

Oikawa didn't have a mask, but he had a lace neck corset that fanned down over the breadth of his chest. His hooded gaze was focused solely on Yamaguchi, and his head was tipped slightly back. The deity wasn't aggressive in stance, not at all, but Yamaguchi still felt adequately intimidated. Again, there was just something _about_ Oikawa that had a presence. They hadn't even said a single word, and Yamaguchi felt cold. He closed his eyes to pull himself together. He knew what he was doing this for. He wanted to go back to Low Sky. He wanted to prove all of the stories wrong and prove what was true. He wanted to set the record straight and… well. He opened his eyes slightly, focusing on the simple but fetching robes the deities wore.

He felt alive in Low Sky. There was so much there he wanted to see. And he knew he wouldn't be alone. He had someone to experience that with.

He caught himself again. M-more than some _one_! He had a few others there he wanted to explore the land with. T-that one demon wasn't an exception. Couldn't be! After all, Tsukishima's help wasn't genuine. Not completely. Yamaguchi was thinking himself into a circle. He brought his gaze higher and hoped the others would distract his thoughts for a while.

          “You want to go back to Low Sky,” Oikawa stated, pointing to Yamaguchi.

          “Yes, I do.” Yamaguchi shifted to grab the book between him and Yaku, moving to set it on his lap. “I have a mission there.”

          “We've heard,” Kenma spoke up, voice soft. He sounded distracted. He turned his head towards Yamaguchi. “But we want to know why you want to go back.”

Yamaguchi mentally stammered. It was okay! He already had the answer rehearsed, but he… needed to collect himself. He glanced up and saw Oikawa smile. It was knowing and secretive all at once. Yamaguchi looked away from it. He didn't want to lose his nerve.

          “I've been to Low Sky,” he began explaining. “And it's nowhere near as dangerous as we've been told in the stories. It's bad. I won't say that it isn't, but it's not this wasteland I've pictured for dozens and dozens of years.” He stared down at the book before placing his hands on top of it and looking up to the Neutralis. “I feel like we're being lied to,” he admitted, surprised by the truth of his statement. “I feel like there's something else going on here, and I want to know what it is. But, in order to understand that, I have to go back to Low Sky and understand _it_ first.

          “It's dangerous, but I know that I won't be alone. The demons there helped me. Maybe it was a matter of convenience, but I saw how they fought.” He moved a hand to the sash wrapped around his waist. “I saw how they protected me. So, again, I'm willing to go down there myself and see if any of this is worth pursuing. I want to know if I made allies or not. If I did, I don't want to shut myself away.”

          “And if you didn't?”

Oikawa brought a hand to his waist. Kenma was the one to ask. Yamaguchi didn't feel any hesitation in his response.

          “Then I'll come home. Journey over, mission scrapped.”

He could feel the other angels' gaze on him, but he couldn't look away now. He shifted his attention back and forth between Kenma and Oikawa. The taller deity clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

          “Wooow. That was really moving, wasn't it?” He tipped his head down to Kenma, who only gave a soft grunt in response. He smiled and looked back towards the angel. “Alright. You seem pretty passionate about this whole thing. Are you sure you won't take anyone with you?”

          “I'm positive. If there's nothing to find, it's a waste of a trip. If there is, it wouldn't be good to have two –” He quickly rummaged his mind for a word. “– amateurs running around Low Sky.”

Kenma sighed and turned his head away again. Yamaguchi took that as a sign that he agreed, or at the very least, he wasn't arguing anything Yamaguchi had said. That was just as good. Oikawa, on the other hand, was more of a vocal participant, and so, he was the one that Yamaguchi worried about. The angel felt the familiar touches on his body. They landed and left within seconds, but he appreciated the gestures.

          “We have a few more things to talk about. If you don't mind indulging us.”

          “No, I don't mind.” Yamaguchi relaxed, feeling as though he got over the biggest hurdle.

          “Should we go?” Yaku asked, looking between the two Neutralis. “Give you three some privacy?”

          “Oh! I wouldn't dream of it!” Oikawa replied with a smile.

Yamaguchi took note of the sharp rows of teeth flashing in that brilliant moment. Oikawa turned his head towards Kenma. “Do you?” Another noise in reply, and Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. Somehow, Kenma's half-hearted reply really lightened the atmosphere. Oikawa closed his eyes and shrugged with a closed-mouth smile. He opened his eyes again and gestured his hands open.

          “But make room, make room. We'll need to sit with our traveling angel.”

Yaku and Suga scoot further to their respective sides, letting Kenma and Oikawa flank Yamaguchi. The freckled angel immediately opened his notebook, going over his findings, and explaining what he had seen. He only tripped over his words once. He was very proud of himself. Closing the book, he heard Oikawa hum in interest.

          “Ah, you're really serious about this.” Oikawa didn't sound disappointed. He actually sounded impressed. Yamaguchi tried not to show his pride.

There was a light off to his left, and he turned his head towards Kenma, who brought a hand up to his mask.

          “We should probably go soon then while we have time,” the blond replied.

          Oikawa nodded. “Let's go then.” To Yamaguchi, he said, “You should probably say your goodbyes now. We're leaving.”

Yamaguchi hummed in the affirmative, and everyone stood. The Neutralis wandered off to the right, holding a low conversation with each other while the angels gathered together. Yaku and Suga hugged Yamaguchi, petting his hair and rubbing his back. “You two are babying me,” he told them, trying not to blush at the doting. Suga sighed and raised their hands up.

          “Sor-ry for being worried,” they stated. “You just volunteered to go back to Low Sky.”

          “Yeah, even _if_ it isn't a war zone,” Yaku added, “it's still pretty dangerous down there, and you're going by yourself.”

          Suga brought their hands to Yamaguchi's head, tugging on his ears. “So let us have our moment before you through yourself to the wolves, okay?”

Yamaguchi winced and tapped on one of Suga's wrists, trying to get them to release their grip. When their hands fell away, Yamaguchi felt a cold chill against his ears. He moved his hand to his ear lobe, feeling a stud in his ear. He felt the other and felt a matching earring there as well. Yuka stepped closer and raked his fingers over Yamaguchi's temples, brushing that hair back. He pulled his hand away, and Yamaguchi felt the same effect on one ear. There was a clip just above the earring Suga left. Yamaguchi glanced to the two of them.

          “Since we can't go with you,” Yuka said. “We just wanted to leave you a gift.”

          “Might keep you safe, who knows.” Suga crossed their arms over their chest, lips tugging up in a slight smile. “Either way, you'll know we're thinking of you.”

Yamaguchi let out a huff of a laugh, unable to think of any proper come back to that. He felt warmth on his cheeks and hoped that neither of them pointed out he was blushing. He was spared their gentle teasing, and they let him go over to the Neutralis. He looked over his shoulder and waved goodbye. His lips tugged up in a small smile when they waved back.

Turning back, he saw the Neutralis waiting for him. Oikawa was looking in his direction. Kenma had a hand stretched out towards the unoccupied end of the gazebo. Yamaguchi moved to stand between them.

          “Ready?” Oikawa asked. When Yamaguchi nodded his head, the deity clapped his hands together. “Alright then. Let's go.”

Yamaguchi adjusted the notebook in his hand and let out a deep breath. He followed the two as they began to walk. The world rippled in front of him, and he did his best not to look back. When they crossed through the invisible barrier, they were falling down towards Low Sky. It wasn't as severe as when Yamaguchi first arrived, and he was _free-falling_. He thought they were more coasting instead of falling. Yamaguchi felt a final cold gust of air, exposing him to the land's warmth. He turned his head upward, watching as the feathers flew from his coat in a spiral. Glancing to his left and his right, he noticed that Kenma and Oikawa had marginally different clothes too.

They landed on the ground and took a few steps to find their balance. Yamaguchi was glad that his notebook hadn't suffered any aerial damage in the fall.

          “You'll find your friend near his village,” Kenma stated, hand on his mask again.

          “Quaint little place,” Oikawa stated, voice echoing. “Haven't been there in a while.”

Yamaguchi looked from Kenma to the taller deity, noticing that his neck corset was a bit modified. Now, it reached up to his mouth and swept under his ears. Yamaguchi found himself staring and turned away before either of them brought attention to it.

          “Should we escort you?” Oikawa asked, even his reverberating voice was playful.

          Yamaguchi shook his head. “I'll be fine. I know the way.”

          “And if you get attacked?”

The angel set his book between his knees and untied the sash around his waist. He gave it a snap, unfurling the cloth, and wrapped it around his arms.

          “I'll be fine,” he replied, taking up his book again.

          Kenma let out a little sound. “Smart.”

Yamaguchi took that as a compliment. The Neutralis left him with a couple of other points. They gave him a way to contact his messenger — it manifested as a bangle on his right wrist — and they said that they would come visit him while he settled. If he decided he would stay, then he would have to notify them as well. After their goodbyes, Yamaguchi turned and recognised the area. They were close to the valley, and he wouldn't have too far to walk. He adjusted the shawl on his arms and set out on his way.

He was beyond happy to see Tsukishima again. He recognized the demon's garbs at least, and the shaggy blond hair. If that wasn't him then, oof, that would be hard to explain away. He wondered what would draw the demon's attention but was glad when Tsukishima sat up of his own accord. The demon was kneeling down near a very small vein of water. Yamaguchi brought up a hand to keep himself from laughing.

          Tsukishima scoffed and leaned his head back to the sheepishly smiling angel. “You _actually_ came back? Keh. Unbelievable.”

          Yamaguchi pointed at the blond. “Why are you wearing that?”

          “Huh?”

Yamaguchi kept his gaze on the yellow fabric tied around the demon's head, keeping his bangs pulled back. Tsukishima scoffed and turned his head away.

          “Someone made it and insisted I wear it while I was out.” He quickly looked to Yamaguchi and held up a finger. “It's for a head wound. Don't say anything else.”

          “I didn't!” The angel laughed, shrugging up his shoulders.

          Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. “Don't _think_ it then.”

Tsukishima stood up and brushed off his clothes. Yamaguchi came closer. Tsukishima stared down at the angel and sighed. His eyes rolled and closed in pairs before opening all at once.

          “You're really something else.” He turned away and motioned for Yamaguchi to follow. “Might as well follow me then. Tell me all about the reason you're here again.” His back tensed as Yamaguchi's thoughts began overflowing. He turned quickly and scowled at the brunet. _“'_ Tell me', I said.”

          “Oh! Sorry, Tsukki!”

They stared at each other in the moment of awkwardness. Yamaguchi felt as though his face was on fire. He didn't care if Tsukishima noticed how his freckles stood out against his skin. He just didn't want to bring up that _thing_ he just said. His thoughts fell quiet out of shock. The demon's bottom pair of eyes squinted at Yamaguchi.

          “Well, at least you're quiet now. Come on. Let's go.”

          Yamaguchi swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Y-yeah. Right behind you,” he said nervously.

At that moment though, he didn't care how he sounded.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop, whoop. Double update. I completely lied when I said one of these characters wouldn't pop up in this story, but well, there you go. There will probably be multiple iterations of this universe. I've already got so many things planned, _but_ we have to get through this one first.


	10. Nose Deep in Handwritings

Explaining to Tsukishima why he had come back was harder than explaining it to the Neutralis. Maybe it was because Tsukishima could _also_ read his mind and his thoughts felt scattered all over. There was no proof that Kenma or Oikawa couldn't do the same, but Yamaguchi wasn't aware of that. He was aware of Tsukishima's ability, and that usually made him overthink. It was, usually, very exhausting. Today, it was just complicated. This was one of his numerous times going over this subject. Many of the other times had been rantings to his mirror when he was alone. He had grown passionate about the subject; Oikawa wasn't wrong about that. Yamaguchi did want to come back for the blond – and Nishinoya and Akaashi and Matsukawa, of course! But there was also this whole matter with the complete untruth being spread around. He wondered who started it.

In his studies, he found a small group of scholars that dictated the differences between Low Sky and the Heights. Some were very philosophical in their explanations; others had a clear bias with their preference for the Heights, almost as if they were being watched while writing. Yamaguchi didn't question their loyalty to the place. While his job bored him to tears sometimes and stressed him out a lot of the time, he loved the Heights. It was his home. Maybe it was just their writing tone; they sounded conspiratorial or even paranoid. He couldn't confirm his speculation, so he just left it at that.

On his return, Yamaguchi showed his companion his notebook and hit the bullet points while the demon skimmed through. Seeing the sheer girth of the written notes, Tsukishima was graceful enough to let Yamaguchi explain himself over the course of days. The first day had been spent finding some living arrangements for the angel that was close to Tsukishima's home. The second had been trying to understand whether or not Yamaguchi would be able to keep up at all and what they should do about that. The following days had been spent exchanging information. Yamaguchi talked more about his investigative research, and Tsukishima told the angel what to do so he didn't die. Yamaguchi took the information and stored it somewhere in his head. Tsukishima asked Nishinoya to help with training, so that was added to Yamaguchi's roster of 'things to do in Low Sky'.

A lot of what he learned was focused around mobility, and he was thankful for it. Nishinoya taught him how to adapt to Low Sky's atmosphere and environment. He focused on teaching the angel how to jump and land — two important things that would factor into a lot of his training in the future.

          “Give up any hope on flying,” Tsukishima had said then. “At this rate, you'd have to be here a few years to learn that.”

          “How do you know I won't, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi asked, doubling his teasing with the nickname.

          Nishinoya laughed, placing his hands on his hips. “Whoa, 'Tsukki', huh? I didn't know you two were close like that.”

          “We're not,” Tsukishima replied tersely, “and don't you start calling me that too.”

Yamaguchi and Nishinoya laughed lowly with each other. Tsukishima scoffed off to the side and left the two to continue their training. Yamaguchi found that, regardless of Tsukishima's bluntness or harsh teases, the blond actually made him feel welcomed. He never left Yamaguchi on his own if he could help it. If they were separated, Tsukishima was never too far away or didn't put himself in a position where they couldn't get to each other. Yamaguchi found himself calling on Nishinoya or Matsukawa if he ever needed other company. Two people that Tsukishima kept the angel in touch with since his return.

And then there was the matter of “Tsukki”. The nickname had been an embarrassing mistake. One that Yamaguchi was sure Tsukishima would have hassled him about. He was surprised when it never came. Maybe the nickname was just as embarrassing for him. The angel decided he would press his luck and continue using it every now and again (and soon, to his own surprise, that became every day). Not only was he surprised that it stuck, but that Tsukishima hadn't told him to stop. To stop being a little shit, sure. To stop talking and pay attention to what he was doing, of course. But never to stop saying 'Tsukki'.

Yamaguchi reflected on all of that and laughed to himself, sitting on the floor of his lodgings. There was a knock on his door, and he pulled himself up into a standing position. His pant legs flowed down as he found his balance. The material against his legs was divine. Yamaguchi sighed in content as he opened the door. On the other side stood Tsukishima, who was staring down flatly at him.

          “What are you laughing for?”

          “Ah, you heard that?” Yamaguchi leaned against the door and smiled sheepishly. “Nothing. Just thinking about something.”

          “Uh-huh.” The tone was almost accusatory. Yamaguchi controlled his expression. “Let's go to the library if you have time. You might find something in there.”

          “Oh, okay! Let me get my notebook.”

Tsukishima hummed in acknowledgement. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb as Yamaguchi turned away. He gathered the loose leaflets of papers and stuffed them into his notebook. He made sure they fit appropriately and slotted his pen in as well. The angel headed back to the door and slipped on his sandals before following Tsukishima.

He hadn't been in Low Sky for very long, especially not with his previous 'visit', so he was still in awe by the village's beauty. The rows of terraced houses caught his attention and were so much more rustic than living quarters in the Heights. The fjord divided the village, but making it more…… atmospheric. They crossed over the bridge; Yamaguchi couldn't help but pause. To his left was the valley; to the right was the flowing water. The village ended not too far ahead of him and tucked around the corners, unseen behind the hills. The fjord curved into the distance, flowing between the hillsides before emptying out into a much larger body of water. Yamaguchi wondered if it was the ocean but decided to follow after Tsukishima before the demon became grumpy.

Might have been too late for that one though.

Entering this library was different. It was absolutely empty. Their footsteps echoed when they walked. It made Yamaguchi a bit nervous. “Stop worrying” had been Tsukishima's form of encouragement, but he didn't bother to explain why things were like this. Yamaguchi pressed his lips together and followed the demon into Non-Fiction History. He spun on his heel and stared at the other shelves, unable to read the plaque for each one. Non-fiction implied that there was a 'fictional history'. He thought about reading those later. Yamaguchi opened his book and set to work. He knew which notes to skim over, eyes easily catching onto needed buzzwords.

As he searched, he found a book that had an interesting title and removed it from the shelf. The angel flipped through the pages, idly skimming over the text. His eyes brushed over a particular sentence and so he backtracked. He imagined a strong, melodic voice that flowed with each word.

 

_There was no relief from their words or their swords. They've branded me a liar, a traitor,  
and so I ran from them. I saw no other place fitting except a cursed place of life and death._

_And so I fell from Heaven into temptation. Into a place where lies and deceit were currency._

_If my new title were coin, my wealth would be unfathomable._

 

The language was dated, or that was the feel he got in his mind. The writing style was definitely older. Though spurned, the author wrote regally, with a grace Yamaguchi could only remember finding with Akaashi. Yamaguchi let out a soft noise of awe, closing the book to read its spine again.

          “If you want it, you can take it,” Tsukishima said, “just remember to turn it back when you're done.”

          “Ah? Are you sure?” The angel turned to face his companion.

          The blond shrugged. “There's no other policy on those type of things, but bring it back. I won't remind you about that sort of thing.”

          “What if I want to reread it?”

          “Better do it quickly.” Tsukishima dusted off a book and read over it before putting it back. “I'm not really sure how those things work.”

          “Eh? Seriously?” Yamaguchi tucked the book under his arm, staring at the demon. “You're talking very cryptically. What would happen if I didn't?”

          “Ask Nishinoya. He'll tell you.”

          The angel hummed, squinting his eyes at the blond. “I'm not sure if I want to.”

          Another shrug and the blond took down another book, dusting it off and reading its cover. _'Suit yourself,'_ he thought. Yamaguchi clearly heard it in his own mind.

He scrunched up his nose at the blond and turned away, examining the other books. This library was much unlike his. The shelves were made of an old wood that looked as if it would splinter at any moment. The floor was hard wood as well but was a lot newer, it seemed. Yamaguchi could see the dust dancing in the sunlight that poured in from the cracked ceiling. It was a different setting – worn but not battered. It could use some light repairs, but it wasn't beat up. He liked it. Even though it was his first time here, it was almost nostalgic.

He found other books, a couple with relevant titles and one with an interesting cover. The title didn't sound relevant, but upon glancing through its content, he figured he could get something out of it. He managed to get Tsukishima to help carry some of his books. Yamaguchi himself held onto the first book he found, his notes, and three other titles that found his interest.

          “Come on now,” Tsukishima griped. “You have seven books here. You don't need all of this.”

The words brought Yamaguchi back to his surroundings. He blinked up at the demon before lowering his attention down. He did have a lot of books. He should probably call it quits for now or log down the ones he wanted to pick up later. He did the latter, quickly jotting down titles of interest before nodding to the demon. The two headed over to one of the empty, dusty tables and set their books down. Yamaguchi coughed as he sat. Tsukishima placed his hands on the table's surface. Yamaguchi began sorting through the books, organising the piles by want, and opening the books that fit his most immediate needs. They weren't thick, thankfully, so he should be able to sort through them all within the next few hours. He opened his book and realised that Tsukishima hadn't sat down yet. The demon was standing, hands propped up by the tips of his fingers and head turned to the right. His eyes were squinted as he stared off at a wall.

          “Is something wrong?” Yamaguchi asked.

          “Someone's calling me,” Tsukishima said distractedly. “I'm just figuring out what they want.”

The demon knocked on the table and stepped away, not bothering to excuse himself. Yamaguchi stared at the other's back before shrugging, burying himself in his books. He wasn't studious or a bookworm by any means, but he was determined. That much he could be. He had a lot of energy that he never got to use chatting up souls and guiding them where they needed to be. Truthfully, he would have found this whole thing boring too if he wasn't so emotionally invested in it. So, he committed. He laced his fingers together and pushed his hands outward, feeling the tension lift from his fingers as he continued to work.

Every so often, he could hear Tsukishima's characteristic sighs and groans. The blond would murmur something to himself before continuing on with his unheard conversation. Yamaguchi skimmed his book pages at a time, his attention only straining outward whenever Tsukishima made a sound. The brunet took a break to bury his face in his hands. He wasn't overwhelmed, but he definitely needed a break. The Sun beamed against his neck through the high set windows. It was strange. He never remembered seeing the Sun when he was here, but he could always feel it. He sighed out the stress and let his mind wander through the words he had skimmed over.

In Low Sky, essayists preached the idea that one must fight tooth and nail for liberation. Granted, that was always from the view point of an all-eater, but every now and again, it reflected upon the demons. Yamaguchi purposefully skipped anything that talked about all-eaters in depth. While they were a subject he wanted to talk about, he didn't want to touch on them now. That would come later – much, much later. The angel rubbed his hands together; his forehead rested against his moving hands, causing his head to move. There was a chill that flowed across his shoulders that almost reminded him of home, but the presence of the coolness was darker. It made his stomach hurt, upset as if he hadn't eaten in years. He opened his mouth, and his tongue felt dry. He tried to shake away the feeling, but it just wouldn't give.

There was a laugh that resonated from one ear to another. The noise emptied his mind and left him speechless. Yamaguchi could _feel_ his confusion but couldn't put any thought or reason behind it. He could also feel a shadow passing over him for it came with a presence. It rolled over him like a Heightian breeze and was followed by an interested, almost sensual purr of _“Ooh”._ And then everything was gone. Yamaguchi opened his eyes and twisted back to look behind him. That couldn't have lasted for more than a few seconds, but the angel felt like he was trapped in a lengthy scene, forced to experience it without understanding. Tsukishima headed over, staring at the angel with raised brows. Yamaguchi looked up to him, unable to keep the confusion from his face.

          “What was that?” Yamaguchi asked, voice too quiet for his own ears.

          “What was what?” Tsukishima countered. There wasn't any hostility in his voice, and he gracefully kept himself from sounding bored.

          The angel shook his head and collected his things. “Forget it,” Yamaguchi replied. “I think I'm done with these. I'll just put them away.”

He felt Tsukishima's eyes on him as he gathered up the books. There were only three he had to store away, but he was thankful that he got some time away. It was a distraction and gave him the ability to not think about what happened. He wasn't sure, or rather it was better to say he had forgotten, how intense Tsukishima's power could be, but Yamaguchi decided to play it safe. He focused intently on the filing system as he sorted his books away.

 

By the time they left, Yamaguchi had shelved another book, and Tsukishima was reading the first novel Yamaguchi had pulled out. He told Yamaguchi that it was an autobiography. He had heard stories of the demon this was about. The writer was an angel, then a fallen, then a demon. How that happened was mixed around, according to Tsukishima, so there was a chance it was written in the book. Yamaguchi tapped his pen against his written notes, watching as Tsukishima flipped ahead in the book. The blond's eyes moved in independent pairs, reading different sections at once. Yamaguchi wondered if that could get confusing. When the quadruple stare was set on him, he couldn't help but laugh.

          Tsukishima turned the book around and set it down in front of Yamaguchi. “You might want to read this.”

          “Here?” Yamaguchi asked, staring at the open pages.

          The blond leaned forward and pointed to a specific passage. “Here.”

Yamaguchi nodded his head and sat back in his seat.

 

 _The Chastien River is so eerie and beautiful to me. I've been in Low Sky for a  
_ _handful of years, but the majesty never escapes me. One of the things that unsettles  
_ _me still is how my reflection stares unblinking; it looks right at me, despite my own  
_ _eye movements and flutterings. There are many strange creatures here, bipedal and  
_ _vicious, hungry for something I cannot let them have. My soul, my mind, my life._

_These scavengers have a weakness; I just do not know it._

_There are others here fighting them all the same. If this is what they meant by  
_ _'a war' back in that gilded place, then I am now amongst the soldiers._

  _I am humbly one of them._

 

Yamaguchi read the passage over and over, his reading speeding up with each pass. He blinked up at Tsukishima. His vision swam for a moment, and when they settled, he had a death grip on the book.

          “The war. This mentions the war,” he began, stammering.

          “What war?”

          “In the Heights, they told us what was going on down here was war-like, that this place was a battlefield. Worse than that, that it was a wasteland.”

Tsukishima made a face that would make turn acid useless. Yamaguchi waved a hand dismissively, mostly trying to spare him from that heated stare.

          “I know; I know, but whoever wrote this _understands_ those stories. I need more of _this_.”

          “Well, I did mention that they were an angel before. I dunno about rank or anything like that.” Tsukishima pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “There's plenty of other books there.” 

          Yamaguchi rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Tsukki, for being helpful.”

          The demon grunted and set his hand on the table. “We done here? Might be better if you do your work from home.”

          “Mn.” Yamaguchi made a face as he thought. Quickly enough, he conceded to the idea.

They gathered up and headed back to Yamaguchi's space without much fuss. Tsukishima halted in setting the books down. His gaze was set off towards a wall again.

          “Someone calling?” Yamaguchi asked innocently.

          “Someone fighting,” Tsukishima replied with a sigh. “Are you going to be fine on your own?”

          “I'll be fine. I'll be fine. Stop worrying.” The angel motioned to the books around him. “I think I have enough to keep my attention.”

          “Alright,” the blond muttered, setting the books down and coming to his full height. “I'll be back soon.”

          “Bye, Tsukki!”

The demon groaned and closed the door when he was on his way out. Yamaguchi laughed to himself and went back to copying his notes. The Sun was lower in the sky, casting shadows from the opposite buildings onto the fjord. Yamaguchi adjusted the bangle on his arm before channeling intent into it. The item started glowing and hovered so its sides didn't touch his skin. He leaned back against the foot of his bed and sighed, letting his eyes fall closed.

There was the haunting laughter again, and Yamaguchi opened his eyes. He stared out of his window and saw nothing. He didn't understand why his nerves were getting the best of him, so he tried to relax until his appointed messenger answered his call.


	11. Visions and Voices

It was safe to say that Nishinoya was a harsh teacher. Yamaguchi was probably the first being he had ever taught, but there was no way for the angel to affirm that suspicion. Nishinoya had been relentless with his earlier training. He focused on building up Yamaguchi's defenses and reaction time – all very important lessons. The demon was so fast though; it was hardly fair to be trained by him! He always left the angel breathless whenever training tempered off. If the angel was only breathless, however, he was getting off easy. Yamaguchi sometimes felt so weak he could hardly feel his hands. One particular training session left him feeling so alive and electric he could feel every hair on his skin. His body was so sore and tense that he immediately collapsed on his bed in a tired heap upon returning home. He soon made a habit of taking a short initial nap, bathing, and going back to sleep. The bath calmed him enough and eased away his soreness, but he always had to clean with a quickness lest he fall asleep in the tub. Again.

Tsukishima teased and poked fun. One day, when they were sitting together, legs dangling over a cliffside, the demon reached over and squeezed Yamaguchi's forearm. “Hey, I'm still tender!” Yamaguchi whined, pulling his arm away. That was the first time he remembered Tsukishima smiling genuinely or even laughing. Yamaguchi would greatly deny the warm stirrings in his chest and whined at the demon when he pointed out the blushing.

Outside of the training, his arrangement with Tsukishima was ideal. They both agreed that Yamaguchi would be safe, enough, in his own bedroom. He could focus on his journaling and studying however he desired. If he needed Tsukishima, the demon was one mental call away. Or shout or elated babbling. Tsukishima prayed for neither of the latter, and Yamaguchi made no promises. Yamaguchi's messenger took away his notebook for long stretches of time, leaving him with a thinner bound travel journal for him to scribble his thoughts on as he needed. He filled those up in no time, and every time the book was finished, his messenger returned. This most recent visit, Yamaguchi received his notebook accompanied with a letter. It was from the Heights. He sat down on the edge of his bed, reading Suga's fine script. Yamaguchi's lips curled up momentarily; he felt bittersweetness claim him upon the letter's close, but he would stick to his mission.

He lowered himself down to the floor, grabbing at scattered papers for a clean one. He would draft his letter for Sugawara, hoping that the older angel would appreciate a response. Of course they would. Yamaguchi scoffed at his own thoughts, especially after sending such a kind letter. He started off addressing said letter, thanking his superior for taking the time to write him. And then went on to say that it was sweet; how he felt down in Low Sky; and how things were progressing. He briefly talked about a dream he had and asked for Suga's thoughts. The dream itself was silly, but he wanted to give the angel something to smile about. Yamaguchi tapped his pencil against the floor. He wanted to write something cheesy in there. Something that would define how he was feeling without him admitting just how much he missed the Heights.

 _Your worry means a lot to me!_ No, no. That sounded a bit sadistic, didn't it? He hummed and rifled for another sentence. _Your… handwriting is really lovely! I never noticed it before_. True, but irrelevant. He needed to say something about how he felt. After a moment of lip biting, he knew exactly what he was going to say. _Your support is my shield moving forward. With you and Yaku thinking of me, I feel really protected. Tell everyone I'm thinking about them too! Things are pretty nice down here_. As his mind constructed the words, Yamaguchi couldn't help but hide his face. What was with that sudden poetry! He had been reading too much of that autobiography, which was honestly his favourite book now. He managed to convince whatever resided within the library to let him hold onto the book for a bit longer.

When he first advocated for an extension, the book's pages fluttered and closed on the book's front cover. He took the item in his hands and flipped it open to the front. There, he saw his name scribbled five times in big, flowing script. He flipped to the inside front cover, now that he thought of it. It had been some time since his extension started, evidently, as the first iteration of his name had been mysteriously scratched out. The angel sighed and closed the book. His eyes lingered on the title, _The Undeath of Life_. It was a strange title. Something about it bothered him, but he could never place a finger on it. Maybe it was too waxen? Maybe an over reach in its poetry? He couldn't describe it, but there was _something_ he didn't like. Surely. For now, he waved it off.

Thinking on it more, he was glad to have found his rhythm. Not only that but Yamaguchi was happy to see Tsukishima in action again. Sometimes, he was paired with Matsukawa or Nishinoya, but there were other times when he joined forces with other demons. Yamaguchi never caught their names, and he never asked. His training came to his aide almost immediately. Their first brush with an all-eater, and Yamaguchi was instantly on the defensive. He knew how to hide and learned how to outsmart any creature that caught onto his scent. Most times, he just directed them to Tsukishima before jumping into a tree. In had been a while since the first encounter, but he was getting used to conscious acts of self-preservation. Yamaguchi realised that he wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed since he arrived. He kept track very loosely in the back of his mind. Unfortunately, the difference between day and night in Low Sky were so sudden it often frightened him into forgetting.

 

Yamaguchi finished his writing for the day and made his way over to Tsukishima's living quarters. The demon usually kept his door ajar; today, it was a quarter of the way opened. Yamaguchi paused for a moment, taking notice before knocking. The raised grunt served as both acknowledgement and permission. The angel pushed the door open. Tsukishima was sitting in his pillow nest next in front of his windows. He had an elbow on the sill and his chin in his hand as he stared disinterestedly outside. The bright Low Sky Sun beamed down through the left and center windows, bathing him in an almost ethereal light. Yamaguchi smiled and hurried over, joining Tsukishima on the pile of pillows. The demon blinked, and his bottom pair of eyes focused on the smiling angel. Yamaguchi crossed his arms on the window sill, staring out the window with wide eyes. Tsukishima's room – and the rooms on this side – had a view of a cliff face. The hard earth with its cracks and ridges. Vines and flowers grew in leafy places, dotting the brown with patches of green. The angel's eyes followed a particularly thick vine that crawled up the earth wall, sometimes curling around stones or dipping into cracks.

          “We should head out today,” he offered, enjoying the warmth of the Sun from the scant light shining on him.

          “Already planned on it,” Tsukishima stated flatly. “You might as well tag along.”

          “An errand?” Yamaguchi asked, turning his head to face the blond.

          “A trade off. I have to retrieve a couple of items for weapon repair.”

          “Ooh.” The angel looked back out the window, holding his face with both hands.

          Tsukishima stood up with a sigh. “Sit here. I'll tell you when we're leaving.”

          “Okay, Tsukki!”

Yamaguchi heard Tsukishima walk behind him and out of the room. He kept himself stationed where he was, choosing to cross his arms on the window sill and rest his head on them. The brunet's mind drifted off, placing him in some half-dreaming state where he felt paralysed. He heard overlapping voices whispering and hissing at him. Ghost hands trailed over his back and shoulders, teasing his senses but allowing him nothing. _'Interesting'_ formed as a clear word as did _'freckles'_ and _'Heightian'_. His core thudded against his flesh, filling his entire being with panic. When the voices faded, he opened his eyes and heard a new voice, one of concern. When he turned, Tsukishima was staring at him with furrowed brows.

          “Are you okay?”

          “I'm, ah…” Yamaguchi looked around and placed his hand on his chest. He took a moment to collect himself before trying again. “I'm not sure. It happened before in the library.”

          “What did?”

Yamaguchi was hesitant, but he decided to explain himself calmly. His thoughts and words matched together, making it much easier for him to speak and for Tsukishima to hear him out. The demon crossed his arms and shifted his weight. He sighed heavily once Yamaguchi finished speaking, extending a hand out for the angel to take.

          “You're being haunted,” he stated flatly, pulling Yamaguchi onto his feet.

          “W-what!?” The angel balked.

          Tsukishima rolled his eyes. “He's a bit annoying. He'll calm down soon enough.”

          “Wha– should I… Should I–?” Yamaguchi drew his hand back, nervously touching his hips, neck, and chest before clasping his hands together. “Should I do something?”

          “Just stay calm. He's messing with you.”

          “But, ah. Who is it?”

          “It's just a fallen god looking for amusement. Anyway, let's go already.”

          “Oh… Okay, Tsukki.”

— ◇ —

 

Tsukishima lead them towards a forest of white-grey trees. The ground was covered in auburn leaves. They had followed a familiar trail of statues to get here. There was one waiting at the bottom of the hill; Yamaguchi stepped closer to observe the details. The eyes were partly opened and dimly glowing. The demon had mentioned before that there were signs of Akaashi in various states of rest. Tsukishima assured that this meant they waking up again. “If you want to see them again, you'll just have to wait.” Yamaguchi hummed deeply as he stared at the statue. He felt whole now, having seen (an imitation of) Akaashi again. He had seen each one of the demons that had helped him during his first visit. It was like he was truly home now— he blushed at the thought. Ah, well. Low Sky wasn't his home. N-not that it couldn't be! But! It was strange to realise his true feelings about this place. He was just that comfortable to form an attachment to this place, a-and he just. He brought his hands up to his face, feeling his thoughts cycle quickly in hurried words. A sharp _“Oi!”_ cut through the air, startling him into facing Tsukishima. Three of the demon's eyes were squinted; the top right one was slightly widened.

          “Your thoughts are too loud.”

          “Oh! Sorry, Tsukki.”

The demon shook his head, eyes falling closed as he turned his head away. He muttered something that briefly broke their lingual connection. Yamaguchi stared at him in confusion but felt there wasn't much hostility in his words. He knelt down by a strange grey stream and lowered his hand onto the surface. The liquid was thicker than water. He could tell in the way that it felt dense against his fingers. Its chill was refreshing and made him more aware of his heated skin. Yamaguchi drew his hand back and rubbed his fingers together, but he wasn't surprised when the digits were dry. Low Sky was a truly amazing place. The silence settled between them as Tsukishima harvested the liquid in a bottle. He had a small handful on him, all resting upon a cloth wrap he sat on the ground. Yamaguchi watched the demon move and spoke without thinking.

          “Tsukki…” Yamaguchi began, staring down into the river. When the blond made a noise of acknowledgement, he continued, “Do you have a full name?”

          “Yeah.”

          The angel chewed the inside of his cheek, giving himself pause before asking, “… What's your first name?”

          There was a beat of silence. Yamaguchi's body was wound tight, only relaxing when the demon replied, “Kei.”

          “Aah.” Yamaguchi smiled and closed his eyes. “So simple.”

          “Yours?”

          “Eh?”

His eyes flew open at the question. He figured it was a sensible thing to ask, but he still wasn't expecting it. Even though Tsukishima asked with a flat, plain tone, Yamaguchi felt his ears heat up. He reached up to cover his ears and stared nervously at his reflection before he responded.

          “Tadashi.” He drew his hands away and wrapped his arms around his knees.

          “Too many syllables.”

          “Hey now.”

Yamaguchi stared at the blond with a mock pout. Tsukishima smirked but didn't look directly at him. He lifted up the bottle and brought it to his eyes. He closely examined its contents before setting it down on the cloth. Yamaguchi turned his head and rested his cheek on his knees.

          “Why'd you ask?” Tsukishima spoke up a few moments later, stoppering another bottle.

          “Hm?” Yamaguchi rested his chin in the dip between his knees. “Should I not have?”

          “Just that I didn't expect you to.”

          “Ah, well. I was just curious. I guess I…” He smiled to himself and tipped his head away, trying to ignore the warmth in his face. “I guess I wanted to get to know you better.”

          “That why you covered your ears?” Tsukishima teased.

          Yamaguchi huffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. “It's just a bad habit, I guess. In the Heights, it's rude hear someone else's first name if you didn't ask them.”

Tsukishima paused. He tipped his head towards the angel, staring at him quietly. The angel met his gaze with those big, doe-like eyes. Tsukishima sighed out a laugh, going back to his task.

          “The Heights is a weird place.”

          “It's not weird! It's nice!”

          “Glad I'm never going.”

          “Tsukki, don't be mean.”

          “Yeah, yeah.”

Yamaguchi smiled gently, watching the demon set about his work. He tried not to repeat the other's name in his mind. Instead, he let it roll in his spirit like a soothing melody. It was a sweet name, very simple; it was like a breath of air when spoken. It was a complete contrast to the demon who was complicated and blunt to a point. How wonderfully ironic. Yamaguchi laced his fingers together and stretched his arms above his head. Soon, they both came to their feet and set on their way to send off the items. Yamaguchi touched the pedestal of Akaashi's statue. “See you soon,” he whispered, following after his companion.

Tsukishima made full use of Yamaguchi's newly gained skills. They raced back up the hill and took a right through the forest. Yamaguchi found it easy to catch up, though he took quick breaths as he followed. Tsukishima gave no warning as they ran off a cliff. Yamaguchi could see a flooded village below. Jagged rocks waited at the end of the once present stream. The angel resisted the urge to tuck his legs as he fell. When they landed, the water splashed up around them. He placed his hands on the soft earth underneath the water and rocked up onto his feet. Tsukishima shook his head, flicking the water out of his eyes. Yamaguchi couldn't help but giggle at the sight of four crossed eyes blinking rapidly to resist water.

They trudged through the ruined village, spying the stilted houses in various states of disrepair. There was one building completely made of stone that awaited them with an open door. They climbed up the wooden stairs, leaving wet footprints as they went. The interior was composed of a smoother stone and a cleaner wood. It was surprisingly dark within, despite the brightness on the outside. Across from the door was an altar with a large candle set upon it. To the right was a shallow recess, and to the left was the rest of the building. Yamaguchi peered off to that side, wanting to explore but feeling he should probably stick close.

His first instinct was right.

When he looked back, he noticed that Tsukishima had frozen in place. The demon relaxed a few moments later and turned back towards the angel. He pursed his lips for a few breaths and moved past Yamaguchi. The angel followed in silent confusion.

          “… Tsukki?”

          “Something big's coming. We have to get away from here.”

          “Should I head home?” Yamaguchi quickly asked. There was the warm fluttering in his chest at the word 'home'. It was mixed with adrenaline and worry.

          “You won't make it. Like I said, it's _coming_. We might as well meet it part of the way.”

They headed back into the water and the center of the village. Tsukishima held out his arm to Yamaguchi, slightly bending it at the elbow. The brunet stepped closer without hesitation and brought his arm around Tsukishima's middle. Tsukishima placed his hand on Yamaguchi's waist. He took a step back, ready to send them forwards and upwards when the ground shook. The water was disturbed with each thundering step. Tsukishima clicked his tongue and hissed out a swear. Yamaguchi glanced up to him, seeing the displeasure on the demon's face. He started to plan how he would keep himself out of the way just as Tsukishima leapt upward, pulling his body along. The angel hated the initial feeling of liftoff. It was as if his body and soul were moving separately from each other before they connected again. Nausea always fell soon after. It never lasted for long, but it was noticeable enough. When they landed on the ground above, Tsukishima immediately pulled away, and Yamaguchi followed, keeping his distance a few paces behind.

The thudding became more resonate as they walked. Tsukishima started looking around, searching for something. Yamaguchi kept his gaze straight ahead and saw there was a statue of Akaashi. This statue's eyes were glowing gold and had a hand outstretched towards them. “Tsukki.” Yamaguchi called the demon's attention and nodded his head to the statue. Tsukishima glanced over as well. There was a moment of _something_ happening. Yamaguchi missed the initial visual cue; his gaze was so focus on the statue's alarmed state. His own attention was grabbed when he was harshly pushed aside. Yamaguchi hit the ground and pushed himself up to his hands, twisting to stare at Tsukishima. A disfigured all-eater appeared in a visible ripple. Its overlapping voices screeched at the demon, charging him and shoving him towards the cliffside.

          “Tsukki!” Yamaguchi yelled, pulling himself to his feet. Before he could do anything, the air left his body, leaving him frozen in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, we're close to the end. Wow! This ended up being a lot longer than I planned on it being. This was technically the chapter that I was supposed to end things on, but I got caught up in adding easter eggs and plot points and just. Yeah. But I'm not entirely unhappy with the way that this all progressed. Thanks for being here with me during this whole tirade. I really appreciate it.


	12. Stand Strong

“ _Tsukki!”_ Yamaguchi heard and felt the word leave his body, but as he drew in a breath, it caught in his throat. From where he was standing, he could see two things. One: the disfigured all-eater had stopped moving. They were so close to the edge of the cliff, but neither toppled over. Yamaguchi took that as a good sign overall. The second thing he noticed was a second pair of legs near Tsukishima's. Hands fell upon his form and pulled him back, disrupting his observations. Yamaguchi blinked and stared at the quiet demon helping him up. Matsukawa gently tugged Yamaguchi behind him, and the angel wordlessly followed. He couldn't help but ask “What's going on?” — to his dismay, Matsukawa shrugged and shook his head.

There was a synchronised grunt before Yamaguchi saw the disfigured creature being shoved away. The all-eater flew and hit the ground, sliding across the floor with panicked grunting. Yamaguchi watched the creature as it tried to regain itself. It came to its feet and gripped at the air with its unsightly arms. The one arm on its back was too thick. Upon closer, regretful scrutiny, Yamaguchi noticed that it was actually two arms fused together. He brought his gaze up from its arms to its face and suddenly felt nauseous.

The all-eater's head held too many faces. The visages were gruesomely mashed together. Its gaping mouths gasped for air; its center face growled and stared back at Tsukishima with gritted teeth. The air was alive with wheezing and mangled, warped calls of _“Free us”_ and _“more life”_. Yamaguchi turned his face away, pressing it to Matsukawa's shoulder. He felt the demon tense up but wasn't pushed away.

          “There are more of them, you know,” stated a playful voice.

          “Is that why you're here?”

          “Pretty much.”

          “How many?” Tsukishima asked tersely.

          “About twenty, thirty more.”

Yamaguchi heard the derisive scoff and lifted his head again. He peeked over and saw two blonds, one he recognized. The other had a bob and stood confidently, one hand on a wide hip. The grass underneath their feet rippled and fluttered as if disturbed by a breeze. Their clothing was so much more form fitting than Tsukishima's or Matsukawa's. The most noticeable thing was the opened sides from the underarms down to the hips.

          “There are other reinforcements comin'. Might already be here.”

          “Great…” Tsukishima mumbled, turning his attention towards the enemy.

Tsukishima and the other blond took a synchronised step backwards before launching forward. They flipped forward and rushed the all-eater feet first. The heels of their feet crashed into the bulging, squirming chest. The all-eater flew backwards at the impact and slammed into the ground. They landed, taking steps in unison and readying their stance. Matsukawa moved suddenly, twisting his halberd and holding out his arms protectively, shielding Yamaguchi. The angel flicked his head up towards the disturbance, drawing his attention away from his friend.

“Run,” the demon said, and Yamaguchi moved without hesitation. He dove to the right, just as Matsukawa's body was slammed into by another disfigured soul. Yamaguchi hesitated just a moment, trying to figure out why he hadn't heard this one just as he had the last one. The hesitation passed, and he moved on. The angel glanced over his shoulder as he took off, running past the statue of Akaashi that was now staring skyward. Yamaguchi tried not to do the same. He aimed his gaze forward and ignored the thundering sound that followed close behind him. Laughter cut through the air, happy and mirthful. There was an impact, and the ground rippled underneath his feet. It grew more and more unsteady, shaking violently until, finally, fissures appeared. The world ruptured, and Yamaguchi was flung upward by the rapidly splitting ground. He yelled in distress, sailing through the air, and someone caught him as he came down.

          “Tsukki!”

          “Yamaguchi, are you okay?” the demon asked in a rushed breath. He landed fluidly and kept running forward.

Yamaguchi blinked, lips parting slightly. That was the first time…

          “Yeah! I'm okay!” he blurted out, coming back to his senses.

Tsukishima took a moment to look around, and Yamaguchi did the same. He turned back to see what it was that had tossed him. Most of the damage was behind them now. The fissure spread out for a few feet; the piece of land that launched him was wrenched upwards. It was like a giant hand reached down and ripped the earth from its place. The demon and angel looked back to each other, having assessed the environment properly.

          Tsukishima spoke quickly, “I'm putting you down now. Keep going.”

          “Got it!”

Tsukishima kept his stride and kicked off the ground, gliding forward as he let Yamaguchi down. The angel's feet hit the ground, and he stumbled for a step or two before he found his rhythm. Tsukishima moved his hand to the angel's arm, holding him gently. As his hand fell away, Yamaguchi grabbed it with his own. Tsukishima didn't hesitate in holding it tighter and pulling him along. They jumped, leaping over trees and streams. Behind them was a pained warble that echoed through the air. Yamaguchi winced at the sound. It was all around them and threatened to dig deeper into his psyche. It filled him with guilt, sadness. The minute he fell into that, Tsukishima pulled him back, literally. Yamaguchi glanced up and saw the displeased scowl on the blond's face. _“Welcome”_ filtered through him with the same breathlessness. For some reason, that made him smile.

Nishinoya landed in front of them. His legs spread wide, and his arms tense at his sides. His clothing painted the image of serenity, calmly flowing around his person. His expression, however, was serious. His wide eyes were focused unblinkingly behind them. As they ran towards him, Nishinoya smirked. “Too slow!” he shouted as they passed by, his eyes flashing a brilliant orange. Yamaguchi gave a passing glance back towards Nishinoya, watching the small demon just… stand there. His eyes widened as he noticed something moving and twisted backwards. There was a writhing shadow quickly following after them, hurrying in their direction.

Nishinoya widened his stance and let out a powerful shout. Two more arms pushed from his sides, holding the demon's sash around the newly formed elbows. The shadow tried to rush past the small demon, and in a repeating series of reflections, Nishinoya wrenched the all-eater free from its disguise. Yamaguchi shut his eyes at the painful shriek. The last thing he remembered seeing was a flurry of black feathers.

They ran. They ran until Yamaguchi felt there was fire in his throat. They ran until his legs lost feeling, and he tugged on Tsukishima's hand. As they ran, Yamaguchi felt a cold, almost damp ripple over his skin. He knew Tsukishima felt it as well if the squeeze on his hand was anything to go by. The angel leaned his head back, trying desperately to catch his breath. His brows knit together, mouth agape as he took in air. Both beings slowed their steps; Yamaguchi pulled his hand away and tried not to double over.

          “I need a break,” he wheezed. “Can't run any further.”

          “Sit down then.” Tsukishima gestured to the ground and looked around.

          The angel collapsed without a second thought. “Sorry, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima grunted in response, watching the angel on the floor before turning away. Yamaguchi drew up his legs and rested his forehead against his knees, trying to steady his breathing. He heard Tsukishima walking some ways away from him. The demon turned back and crossed in front of the angel. “Something doesn't feel right,” Tsukishima muttered under his breath. Yamaguchi was sure that, if something was really wrong, the blond would alert him to it. Truthfully though, he couldn't shake off that feeling from a few moments before. He felt the ground tremble, but it was so light, so easy to ignore. It was like there was an earthquake miles away, and he was just feeling the vestiges of its power.

Yamaguchi could sense Tsukishima moving back and forth, his long steps softly sounding in the grass. The angel lowered his legs down, fingers curling in the flowing cloth. He stared down at his legs and hands through his lashes. After a moment, he drew his hands up, covering his eyes with a heavy sigh. His body started to calm down; his fingers trembled less against his skin. When the pacing stopped, Yamaguchi held his breath and strained his hearing. He lowered his hands at the prolonged silence. His first view was of the blond's back. Tsukishima was standing directly in front of him, his head tilted upward.

          “Tsukki?”

          “Close your eyes, Yamaguchi.”

          “What's going –?”

As he breathed “– on”, the world rippled around them. A sense of awe and dread mingled in his core. Yamaguchi gasped, scrambling to his feet at the sight of all-eaters. There were at least ten of them outside. Three of them were horribly disfigured; another three were normal; and the rest, Yamaguchi weren't sure how to place them. They looked singed. Their eyes, mouth, and some of the spaces in their eyes glowed like fire. The disfigured all-eaters were looking around, screaming silently into the air while the others pounded on the invisible barrier, trying to get to the two beings within.

Yamaguchi couldn't look away. He turned around slowly, trying to full assess their situation. He was startled when he came back-to-back with Tsukishima. The demon shifted, grazing a hand over Yamaguchi's flank as though trying to protect him. Yamaguchi swallowed down a lump in his throat. He wasn't sure how to feel except fearful, confused.

His eyes widened as one of the abnormal creatures spun around quickly and screamed at one of the charred all-eaters. It charged closer – Yamaguchi couldn't help but gasp – and grabbed the scorched creature. The smaller form screamed as it was twisted between four split hands. Yamaguchi closed his eyes and turned his head away. He couldn't hear the result of the carnage, but he didn't want to see it either. He prepared himself to say something when Tsukishima tensed at his back.

Yamaguchi turned around, hands smoothed against the demon's back. He peered over Tsukishima's shoulder and, for a while, didn't see anything. The blond's body tensed under Yamaguchi's fingers. Tsukishima growled out, “Stay behind me”; Yamaguchi decided it would be smart to listen without objection. He waited quietly for something new to happen when his vision went spotty. Yamaguchi's body relaxed, slightly leaning away from the blond demon at his front. He heard the laugh and felt the cool pass of a shadow over his body. He blinked and was suddenly back in the world. Concerned confusion roiled through his mind. It didn't feel like his own; he gave Tsukishima an ideal squeeze on the arm.

The all-eaters outside the barrier turned suddenly and tensed in unison, letting out a silent scream. One minute, they were charging, converging on a single point. The next, they were killed quickly. Nine of the all-eaters fell gracelessly. Yamaguchi looked around to spot the last one. He spotted it hobbling away over his shoulder. Its body visibly convulsed and bulged in different spots. It clawed at its own body; the fused arms began pulling apart, tearing skin and leaving an oozing trail. Yamaguchi looked away and turned his head towards the more tolerable carnage before them.

The dead all-eaters laid on the ground, headless and silent. Their bodies twitched wordlessly. The barrier wrinkled, and a new spirit stepped through its field. Yamaguchi felt the familiar sweep over his form, whispering laughter and haunting words floating through his mind in a split second. The spirit had wild black hair and a confident smirk. He also wore the same open sided, form fitting outfit as the blonde before. The cracks in his skin seemed deeper somehow. The corner of his lips were set farther on his face, aligning with the sides of his eyes. Tsukishima curled his hands into fists, shoulders broadening as the stranger approached. Yamaguchi met eyes with the newcomer, and he was sure. 

 _'_ _This is the_ _F_ _allen I was warning you about,_ _'_ Tsukishima thought ruefully, keeping his gaze focused forward. ' _Kuroo, this sly bastard._ _'_

          ' _Kuroo…_ _'_ Yamaguchi repeated, curling his fingers against the demon's back. _'It's him. He's the one.'_

Tsukishima glanced back to Yamaguchi. The angel nodded once, and they face the silent being.

          “Run into Saeko yet?” It was the first thing Kuroo asked, leveling his gaze on Tsukishima.

          “She helped out,” Tsukishima replied, voice tight. “You're here to help too?”

          “I always did like fighting.” The smirk widened into a smile; Kuroo lifted his chin slightly.

Yamaguchi jumped slightly when the Fallen's gaze fell onto him. Tsukishima stood straighter; Kuroo's brows lifted up ever so slightly.

          “Tsukki…” The angel whimpered.

          “'Tsukki'? Hey now, that's pretty cute.” Kuroo pointed towards Tsukishima. “I should start calling you that.”

          “Don't,” Tsukishima growled. He started to take a step towards the fallen being. “Go back to sleep, Kuroo.”

          “Awww, I can't do that. Someone went through all the trouble to fetch water for the smithy.”

Kuroo curled his fingers in the air. The space melted under his grip, taking shape. He twisted the new pole arm and twisted it upright. He ran his finger along the staff and licked his sharp teeth.

          “Fighting's a… strange reason to come visit,” Yamaguchi stated nervously, slowly stepping away from Tsukishima. The blond glanced towards him, bottom eyes narrowed, before looking back to their superior.

          “Oh. I'm not a 'visitor' of this beautiful, broken, terrorised valley,” Kuroo replied, lips curling up in a smile, “but a resident.”

          “Were,” Tsukishima spat, eyes narrowing. “You _were_ a resident.”

          “Right.” Kuroo chuckled. The cracks in his arms softly glowed with the laugh as if ichor was alive under his skin. “Am I unwelcome now? Will you kick me out?”

Tsukishima took in a deep breath, but his and Yamaguchi's bodies jolted at the cry of their names. They looked to the left, seeing Nishinoya, Matsukawa, and Saeko, the blonde whose name Yamaguchi didn't know before. Two of Nishinoya's hands were laced together and covered his mouth. The other two swung at his sides. One reached forward, pointing behind them. Saeko waved and shouted for the other three to turn around. Matsukawa slid to a stop before throwing his weapon.

Yamaguchi squeezed closer to the blond demon, reflexively trying to avoid the flying weapon. There was a screech and the clanging sound of metal. The spear came flying back in their direction. Kuroo flipped over the two and grabbed the spear in his left hand. He took some jogging steps forward and chuckled, tilting his head up. Tsukishima turned to face Kuroo, placing a hand on Yamaguchi's lower back. It brought the angel comfort.

“Looks like we've got a new contender.” When Kuroo spoke, there was a dense pressure in the air. For a moment, Yamaguchi saw the Fallen consumed in fire with spiraling horns and a thick tail. When he blinked, the image was gone. His awe was disrupted when a shiver ran up his body. The multi-voiced screech rang through the air a second later, and everyone was at the ready.

Yamaguchi looked to the other approaching figures and raised his attention to Kuroo's back. He weighed his opinions. When he lifted his gaze to Tsukishima, Yamaguchi wasn't sure what he would do. He just knew, in his heart of hearts, that he wasn't going to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually quite embarrassed by this. I think I'm going to step away for a minute before actually ending this.


	13. To the Eves We Go With Thoughts of Home

By nature, Low Sky was a warm place. It was humid and surrounded Yamaguchi like an inescapable blanket. But today, it was dry and devoid of its usual presence. The air smelled of an incoming storm. The all-eater screamed, mouth splitting and glowing with the exertion. Yamaguchi felt the force of the sound before he heard it and winced when it finally came. Kuroo tensed his arms at his sides, holding his staff and the spear in both hands. The ichor beneath his cracked flesh glowed brighter as he let out an excited growl. Tsukishima took in a deep breath and looked to Yamaguchi, who was still fixated on the transforming beast before him. The all-eater scratched at its own face; the skin fell away all too easily. Underneath was a charred under layer; pieces of flesh still clung to the edges of its mouth.

          “Hey,” the demon stated sternly. Yamaguchi immediately turned his head. “I don't want you to get too far away from us. More of those things could chase you.”

          Yamaguchi kept from gulping and instead stepped closer. “So… what should I do?”

          Kuroo's response was cool but immediate. “You good at dancin'?”

Both Yamaguchi and Tsukishima glanced to the Fallen's back. Kuroo barely turned his head; his gaze was still set on the screaming being before them. Yamaguchi could tell that the taller being had a small smile on his face.

          “If you're quick on your feet,” Kuroo said, “you might be able to stick around.”

          Tsukishima started to argue, “He's gonna get killed if he–”

          “Tsukki.” Yamaguchi placed a hand on the demon's forearm and smiled weakly. “I'll be fine. I promise.”

The blond pursed his lips. His right pair of eyes glanced over towards Kuroo for a second; in a blink, Yamaguchi was met with a quadruple gaze, and the demon nodded. Yamaguchi's smile widened and put some space between the two of them. If they were going to start fighting, then Tsukishima would need all the room he could get. Yamaguchi was a bit surprised, however, when his companion stuck close to his side. He tipped his head down and curled his fingers at his side. He was glad when the creature screamed again; it chased away the smile he tried to hide.

Saeko came to stand at Kuroo's side. Yamaguchi heard more footsteps behind him and knew without looking that their other companions were there as well. The angel wasn't sure where to look. The all-eater before him was an ever-changing mess; Kuroo and Saeko were talking hurriedly to each other. While he weighed his options, letting the fear and anxiousness course through his body, he caught a stray thought. _'The others… busy near… valley.'_ Others… Yamaguchi remembered Saeko saying there were twenty or thirty more of the disfigured beasts around. But how many more of the burnt all-eaters? How many more would help the misshapen ones turn into this? The angel took a step back. He was so close to hyperventilating.

 _'You're overthinking things,'_ Tsukishima stated. His voice was even, cool, but the slightest bit tense. Yamaguchi blinked over to the demon. _'… Stay with me here. Stop thinking outside of right now.'_

 _'Tsukki…'_ Yamaguchi's brows knitted together. He focused down at his feet before attempting to collect himself with one breath. He lifted his head and spoke to the Fallen before him. “What is that thing?” Yamaguchi finally asked. “It ate a darker all-eater and turned into… that.”

          “We don't really have a fancy word for that thing,” Saeko replied with a smile. She cracked her knuckles, causing a larger ripple over the grass. “We've just gotten used to calling the more evolved ones 'heathens'.”

          “'Heathens',” he repeated in a stunned breath. It felt good to give it a name. It identified his fear. The angel nodded once, brows creasing again. “I can see that.”

          “We're gonna bait it,” Kuroo said. “You guys start taking it down.”

          “Got it,” the others replied.

Yamaguchi was surprised when he joined the sound off but didn't let it show on his face. Kuroo twisted the spear in his hand and held it upward. The original shell flaked away in certain places, revealing a red pattern circuiting down its body. He tossed the spear up, caught it near the end, and tossed it towards the heathen creature. Everything, from that moment, happened so fast. Yamaguchi curled his fingers against his chest, suddenly breathless with the rush of movement.

The angel found that he was hardly in one place for a long time. Kuroo and Saeko worked together expertly. They were able to adapt to the others as well. Yamaguchi was in awe whenever he had a moment to catch what was happening around him. The two Fallen bantered with each other, shouting warnings and orders whenever the moment required it. Sometimes when Yamaguchi couldn't dodge quickly enough, he was pulled or spun out of the way by one of the others. Tsukishima pressed his palm against the angel's stomach. Yamaguchi blinked when his back touched the demon's front and they jumped backwards together. When Kuroo saved Yamaguchi from a powerful swipe, the two moved as if they were dancing. Kuroo's knowing smile lingered with Yamaguchi when they pulled away from each other. The angel spun out of the way of his own, surprising himself with his improved reflexes. Too bad he still felt terrified beyond belief.

After a successful dodge roll forward, Yamaguchi staggered for balance when the heathen slammed its fists into the ground, leaving a smoking trail. He saw movement and saw Saeko and Nishinoya readying their stance with a simultaneous shout. The grass under Saeko's feet rippled; the affected area widened, flattening the grass as it spread. Yamaguchi was tugged out of the way, the air stolen from him with the sudden jerk. “Tsukki!” He gasped, seeing the familiar pale arm around his middle. Outside of a few shouts and gasps, it was the first name he had said since this started. Yamaguchi felt the demon give him a squeeze in reply before he was pushed to the side. Yamaguchi took deep breaths, glancing up to see Nishinoya racing back to his place. Saeko kicked off of the heathen's body, looking graceful as she landed a backwards aerial. The heathen took in a deep breath, body chipping. “Brace yourselves!” Kuroo shouted, and all attention went to the burnt creature.

Everyone covered their ears as a high pitched scream ripped through the air. Even though they were covered, Yamaguchi felt as if his ears were bleeding. His hands hook violently against his head, and all he could think was that he was going to die. He slumped over; a pair of hands smoothed over his arms and helped lower him to the ground. He blinked through the pain and saw Nishinoya staring down at him. A third hand went to the angel's forehead, smoothing back his bangs. Yamaguchi took steadying breaths, his chest raising and falling faster than he meant it to. He turned his head to the side to make sure the others were okay. Matsukawa drew away from him as did the smaller demon. Yamaguchi smiled to them gratefully. When he looked to Tsukishima, he noticed that the demon had just looked away.

As Yamaguchi came to his feet, several brief, less jarring shrieks snapped through the air. He furrowed his brows, watching as the heathen stared at its left side and screamed piercingly. Yamaguchi winced; his eyes fell closed. When he opened them again, he noticed two hands coming from the beast's side. The hands slammed to the malformed, twitching body. The flesh cracked away, revealing the burning interior as the arms pulled themselves free. The hands found purchase on the heathen's body, dug in, and _pushed_. The screaming was frantic. The heathen batted at itself, soon stopping once again as its body split in two. One heathen became two. Their individual bodies stood in unnatural positions as if snapped in place. Their skin flaked away like flying embers. Yamaguchi felt the tension in the air, though everything was still for the moment.

“It made a copy,” someone said breathlessly. Yamaguchi noticed Tsukishima wipe the back of his hand against his chin. There was a loud explosion on the horizon. Yamaguchi made the mistake of being shocked, of lifting his gaze up towards the noise. When he drew his attention down, he felt eyes on him. One of the heathens smiled wickedly, its mouth splitting up to its ears. Yamaguchi soon realised that he had never been so terrified in his life, and hopefully, he would never have to experience this again.

The heathens had locked onto him, chosen him as the weakest in the pack. They amped up their vigor, tossing Tsukishima in the others with one or both hands. One of them fought; the other pulled away to follow him. Yamaguchi gasped, feeling a lump of fear caught in his throat when one closed in. _'Hide somewhere!'_ Tsukishima screamed in his mind, and during the scuffling chaos, Yamaguchi found his opportunity to hide. He pressed the back of his head to a thick tree, feeling his whole body shudder with exertion and fear. He heard twin laughs roll through the air. An unsettled chill ran down his spine, counteracting the shivers taking over his form. He closed his eyes and took in a few long breaths, trying to settle himself.

          “Yamaguchi! RUN!”

That was Tsukki. Yamaguchi's eyes snapped open. He ran forward without hesitation. The calming breaths were cut off in his chest, forming an uncomfortable ball. As he moved, he heard the tree crack behind him. A hand fisted his clothed and snatched him backwards. His body was forced back through the tree, head and back impacting with it. His vision swam for a moment. His eyes caught sight of the tree falling to one side, its now charred husk flaking away into ash. His back hit the ground, and his eyes fell closed. Yamaguchi felt the fear finally disappear, giving way to the absence darkness promised. He was able to blink open his eyes a few seconds later. The heathen stared down at him with great interest. It raised its head just in time to meet Matsukawa's lance. The quiet demon spiraled towards his opponent. When the lance found its target, he stood tall. He braced his feet on either side of Yamaguchi, making sure to keep his stance wide and strong. The heathen screamed bitterly; the noise grew wetter and more gargled as it went.

Matsukawa reached down and helped Yamaguchi to his feet. The angel stood with a hurried thanks. He watched as Matsukawa pulled away, moving to finish his target. Yamaguchi moved as well, wanting to stay out of the way. He glanced over his shoulder towards the tree, staring at its darkened bark and how it was hardly recognizable. It looked more like a three-dimensional shadow. When he turned his head back, he was almost surprised by the fiery attack coming straight for him. He started to make a noise, feeling the need to though his heart wasn't in it. Fire, a mix of orange and red with edges of purple, was coming straight for him. He did the only thing he could – his body was so tired of running. Yamaguchi threw himself to the ground and covered his face with his arms. He wasn't sure what it would do. If anything, his death with be quick – painless and merciful. He couldn't bear to think of the hot pain burning through his skin. He didn't want that as his last memory.

But he wasn't sure if he could handle the idea of someone else dying horrifically pressed against him.

Confused, Yamaguchi lowered his arms down and blinked up to the blond demon. Tsukishima was protecting him. The demon had thrown an arm around Yamaguchi's shoulders and raised his other one to deflect the flame with his cape. A bright light shone and warped in front of the fabric as the fire tried futilely to get to them. Yamaguchi watched in awe. For a brief moment, he wanted to reach out and touch the material. It didn't flow like fabric anymore. It looked tough and sturdy. He kept his hand to himself and instead stared up at Tsukishima. He was so glad this devil had come for him.

          “Are you alright?” The blond was out of breath. His question was punctuated by a pant and a heave of his shoulders. He thrust the cape behind him when the fire was over, and the fabric flowed as it did before.

          “I– I'm–!” Yamaguchi couldn't find the words. Instead he just pressed himself to the demon's body.

Yamaguchi heard a hissed echo of _“No”_ and a crack. When he glanced away from Tsukishima's body, the heathen had been eliminated.

          “Well, that was fun,” Kuroo joked, placing his hands on his waist. Yamaguchi noticed that his nails were broken; the ichor in his body was dimmer in certain areas.

          Saeko sighed and stared up towards the sky. “Too bad we're not done here. C'mon. Let's go scout out.” She brought her attention down to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. “Y'all get back home.”

          “I'm coming with–” Tsukishima started to argue. He glanced down towards Yamaguchi and ran tongue against the inside of his bottom lip. “Nishinoya. Matsukawa. Are you going with them?”

          “We'll cover you,” Nishinoya replied. Yamaguchi glanced up to notice that Matsukawa had nodded.

          “You guys can get healed up when we get back then,” Tsukishima muttered, hoisting Yamaguchi into his arms. “Let's go.”

Yamaguchi was sure he would have been flustered some other time, but it was so nice not to move, not to run, on his own. He adored the comfort of Tsukishima's arms and wrapped himself tight against the blond. He felt moved when Tsukishima muttered “I've got you” so softly to him. Out of everything he had experienced, that was enough to make him cry.

  
— ◇ —  
  


They headed back to Tsukishima's home. The demon laid the angel down of his comfortable pile of pillows near the window. As promised, Tsukishima took the other two demons to get healed up. When they came back, they staked out. Before falling asleep, Yamaguchi saw the three just sitting around, trying to stay rested. Sometimes he caught words like _'injured'_ and _'heathen bastard'_ floating through his mind. He smiled, relishing the bitterness they all shared. He was bitter but more motivated to find out the answers to Low Sky. He closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.

When he opened his eyes, Matsukawa was left, staring out the window. Yamaguchi felt safe, knowing that the demon was aware of who he was protecting. He reached out to touch the demon's arm but was pulled back to the sleeping world before he could make contact. Other times, he saw demons he recognised but didn't know the names of standing outside the window or near Tsukishima's door. Maybe it was the fatigue and perhaps it was foolish, but he didn't fell worried. Each pull of sleep lulled him further and further from reality. It was blissful unconsciousness. He would long for it forever.

When he finally came to, the fight was over. It had been days, Nishinoya said, at least three or four. Yamaguchi was amazed, for starters, when the fight was over. He wasn't surprised by the intensity of battle, but he was worried about his own sleepiness. Then again, terror did strange things to everyone. He had been told Kuroo and Saeko left without a word. He waited, for hours, to get an inkling of the Fallen male's presence. Yamaguchi was more than relived when he didn't. He left Tsukishima's quarters to go to his own. He wanted to bathe and perhaps sleep for a bit more under its warm influence. When he exited, dried, and dressed, he was happy to see the visitor waiting in his room. Tsukishima stood tall in front of him. Yamaguchi's window had been pushed open, and a warm breeze rolled in from the outside. It graced over his skin, felt like kisses upon his flesh. He felt relaxed.

The two beings met eyes, and it took all of Yamaguchi's will power not to shy away. He curled his fingers in the cloth of his shawl finding some poetic way to say “thank you”. All the protecting, all of the saving, for _saying his name_. He wanted to say thank you over and over again, but he couldn't say it. He could hardly even think it to himself. He shook his head slightly and took a step back further into his doorway. Yamaguchi wasn't running – if he did, he wasn't sure what he would be running away from. He was just trying to keep some distance between himself and his intentions. It was hard to label them as “thoughts”. They were more free floating feelings, jumbled up messes of gratefulness and other emotions. He raised his head to stare at Tsukishima and give the blond a sincere smile.

All of his internal chaos vanished as the blond demon stepped forward. Tsukishima took his right hand and pulled him back into the room. Yamaguchi followed along, glad for the silence in his mind and body. He was at a loss for words though when the blond demon bowed at the hips.

          “Yamaguchi. You're a fool.”

          “Hey, that's not very nice,” Yamaguchi replied with a laugh. He was already used to the verbal put downs. He knew that Tsukki[shima!!] never meant them (despite their frequency).

          “No, it's not,” Tsukishima agreed, a thread of humour in his voice, “but I bow to you.”

Yamaguchi felt himself go into an absolute silence. He glanced around, wondering if he had fallen into a permanent dream state, if he had truly fallen into that eternal sleep after all. The wind blew again, rustling the trees closer to the bank. The leaves fell, turning from pink to yellow to a dying red-orange as they wisped to the ground. Yamaguchi found that he could only stand and watch.

          “You were pretty brave today,” Tsukishima finally said, standing tall and grabbing Yamaguchi's attention. “Anyone else would have left long before now, and I more than expected you to do the same as well at some point. And yet here you are, even after the attacks.” The demon fell quiet for a moment, eyes searching Yamaguchi's face. The angel felt a familiar density in his mind as Tsukishima pried deeper for some sort of weakness. “Will you leave Low Sky now?”

          Yamaguchi was surprised he even had to think about it for a moment. “After all we've been through? I can't leave you alone now, can I?” The question came out a bit more hesitantly than he had planned. He was still happy by the slight smile on Tsukishima's face.

          “Well,” the demon replied, “you could aways try.”

With that, Tsukishima made a motion against the bridge of his eyes. His long fingers pressed between his eyes and drew back with a slow flair. Yamaguchi watched in wonder as a thick white-gold band took over Tsukishima's face for a moment. The multiple eyes were gone, and instead there were two eyes and a small pair of rounded glasses at the tip of Tsukishima's nose. The glasses were familiar. It only took a moment for Yamaguchi to recognise them. He brought up his free hand to his mouth and smiled.

          “Ah! Tsukki! I didn't know how cute you would look. Were you like this before too?”

          “!!” Tsukishima's short brows bunched together in embarrassment and mock offense. He turned his head away and muttered, “Shut up.”

Yamaguchi smiled but soon noticed that their hands hadn't fallen away from each other. If Tsukishima wasn't going to move his hand, then Yamaguchi wasn't going to move his either! But still… it felt polite to say _something_ …

          “Tsukki…” The nickname was softly said in that singsong tone Yamaguchi couldn't help but take. He squeezed their hands together to draw attention to them.

          Tsukishima looked back and then down to their hands before speaking. “Ah right. I should do something about this, hm?”

          “If you want to,” Yamaguchi replied with a soft shrug.

Yamaguchi felt his heart drop in brief disappointment — but he was pleasantly surprised when the blond faced him properly once and raised their hands up. Tsukishima adjusted his grip, cupped Yamaguchi's fingers against his palm, and stared into the angel's eyes.

          “…I have something to tell you,” the demon said, posture stiffening slightly.

          Yamaguchi blinked. “What is it?”

          Tsukishima turned his head away for a moment before glancing back towards the angel. “You've been more or less alone here in Low Sky. Even though I'm with you, you're not officially bonded here. It… doesn't mean that you're a resident or anything. It just makes it easier for you to protect yourself, to fight.” Tsukishima sucked in a breath, closing his eyes. “It makes it easier for you to be closer to me.”

 _Oh_. It was the only thing that Yamaguchi could think to respond with. It traveled through his mind and reflected in his body's relaxed posture. It might have shown a bit on his face, because Tsukishima opened his eyes and laughed briefly. Yamaguchi smiled at the sound, tapping a finger idly and slowly against the blond's palm.

          “Does that sound good?” Tsukishima asked.

          “Y-yes! What do I have to… do?” Yamaguchi's words softened when Tsukishima raised up a finger. Again, the demon took a calming breath.

          “Holy Tadashi Yamaguchi from the Heights, O how you've graced my land.” Tsukishima brought a free hand to his chest. “I, Kei Tsukishima, welcome you.”

The leaves kicked up outside. Yamaguchi turned his head; he wasn't surprised by the suddenness of it all. The intensity of fluttering leaves just caught his attention. The leaves spiraled outside of his window, changing from red-orange back to pink. He looked back in time to see Tsukishima leaning down again. Yamaguchi brought his left hand to his cheek, feeling embarrassed by the humble motion. The blond pressed his lips to the angel's knuckles, and a wave of power flowed through them. Yamaguchi felt the air being pushed from his mouth; his eyes fluttered closed. When he opened his eyes, the angel curled his fingers against his cheek and stared at the demon through his lashes. Tsukishima lifted his head slightly, and Yamaguchi felt heat with the connection. There was a tug as his core.

          “By your will, I will promise to protect you,” Tsukishima continued. “By the grace of your hands, I will lend you mine.”

          Yamaguchi spoke without knowing fully what he wanted to say. “I won't abandon you.” It was honest enough. “Give me the strength to… protect you too.”

Tsukishima looked shocked for a moment, and it was nice to see that expression on him. Catching the demon off guard was a bit hard to do. The expression melted away, and Tsukishima smiled. Flecks of orange shone in his eyes and fragmented away as he closed them. Yamaguchi tapped under Tsukishima's chin, softly requesting for the demon to stand. Their hands pulled away, but Tsukishima opened his eyes and stared down into Yamaguchi's.

The angel wasn't sure what would happen to him from this point forward, but he was giving some serious thought to calling Low Sky his second home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sitting back and being really supportive during this adventure. I'm glad that I took a step back from this for a little bit. I was feeling displeased with how this was advancing, but I'm actually really happy with this ending. Again, I want to thank y'all for the support and (wow! my first) fan art. It's been really nice.
> 
> You can also bother me [on tumblr](http://sayallfiend.tumblr.com/) or follow the [Trusted Devil](https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/trusted_devil) tag. You can also look at the [Trusted Devil](http://sayallfiend.tumblr.com/tagged/trusted_devil) tag on my blog. There might be more to this series in forms of one shots. Tonnes of background stuff I still want to touch on! Who knows? Again, thanks so much. I hope you guys enjoyed this little adventure.


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